Many times we forget that in still quiet moments we can access power and purpose. Instead we can incorrectly name periods of rest as “lazy moments” or “wasted time” due to our constant need to be productive. Certainly, I am not endorsing that one should be a permanent couch potato and live without purpose. What I am suggesting is that it is vital and necessary that one takes personal inventory of their time and is purposeful in scheduling moments of stillness and quiet to recharge and restore themselves.
Lately, I have met with a number of clients who define themselves as high achievers and admittedly define their self worth through their ability to produce. As a result, they find themselves overscheduled and seek to fill every moment of their day with as many tasks as possible. These individuals take the time to schedule projects for work needed to complete their goals and reach optimal productivity. These individuals tend to overcommit personally and are involved in many extracurricular activities, belong to multiple organizations and serve on various boards. In the rare case that they do have a free moment they choose to fill it with “more” so that they can continue to produce. This idea is often negatively reinforced with statements such as “I don’t want to be lazy”or “I need to feel productive.” If you take a moment right now I am sure that you can identify a person in your life (maybe even you) who is always busy and doesn’t have time for anything because they are busy “being productive?”
I propose that being productive by itself isn’t wrong. In fact being productive is what most of us aspire to be. But what is concerning, is more often than not we lose sight of the fact that we need rest in order to reach our highest level of productivity. Very rarely do we intentionally schedule time for rest and relaxation. Productivity without balance leads to burnout. What most of us (myself included) fail to remember is that we are co-creating the lives that we want to live. When we do not take time to engage in moments of stillness we are in fact doing ourselves a huge disservice which creates a great inability to access our highest selves. When only focused on what we can produce we dismiss our ability to restore and create. We rob ourselves of the opportunity to grow and devalue ourselves in the process. We limit our experiences to giving and never or rarely experience the power of receiving.
So how do we access our power and purpose in still moments? We make moments a priority and approach them with great intentionality. We take the time to value our personal worth as much as we do the projects and work that is set before us. We take the time to schedule moments daily whether it is an hour or 20 minutes of rest or free time. We stay committed to identifying/allotting time where we can reconnect with ourselves, refill, and restore. We take the time to release negative emotions and reconnect with positive experiences. We are intentional about taking time to just “be” as much as we are about producing. Most importantly we do not allow the temptation of busyness to rob us of our ability to create, dream, and revive our spirits daily. We know and believe that we are here to fulfill our purpose and in order to do so it is vital to practice balance and allot time for rest and rejuvenation to access our highest and best selves.
Dr. Heather Jett is a Psychologist and Life Coach with a private practice in Newport Beach, CA. Her practice provides individual, couples, and family therapy to persons who are seeking a directive approach. She also enjoys working as a Life and Leadership coach helping others to reach their fullest potential. She personally enjoys the opportunity to connect with readers through her writings to encourage clients to attain their personal breakthrough!