One of the weirdest things about being a creative person is understanding that the creativity can’t just flow for 40 hours per week. It requires fallow times. Things need to simmer. I’m mixing metaphors! Anyhow I struggle with this too! It’s hard to feel okay about giving myself the quiet time that is absolutely 100% necessary for my practice.
I used to get terribly depressed in November, but have grown to love the November slow down. We all need to take it easy now and again.
The writing has been very difficult the past two weeks. But it can't always flow out easily. Just enjoy the sleep and darkness and holidays and keep pounding the keys despite knowing its going to get cut later.
I recently had a slightly similar experience, but in a hospital. I'm very happy for you and anyone else that is able to slow down, and rejuvenate. We're important, dog gone it!
Thank you for sharing your experience. I think it's all too easy for many of us (I hope it's not just me) to fill as much as we can into as short a time period as possible. To do, do, do and go, go, go. We forget, or at least I do, how beneficial it is to give our bodies and our brains some downtime.
Rest is not only good for creativity, it’s absolutely essential. I learned the same lesson on a writers retreat I went on earlier this year. It took me two whole days to realise it was okay to take an afternoon nap (bliss!), or to stop writing and just read for an hour. The amount of work I got done after those initial few days was amazing.
So glad you rested on your retreat, we have to learn to not beat ourselves up when we choose to chill.
I love this. Thank you. I dropped my spouse and kids at the airport on Saturday to give myself a 4-night 'home-residency' before heading to his parents' house tomorrow. It's been so great! Quiet! Time to think, repot plants, print out the whole cringey draft. . . But! But! The first 24 hours so much internal chatter about maximizing the time, what that meant, and for whom I was doing it. Thank you for sharing this.
I am taking this wisdom with me to Sea Ranch tomorrow to remind myself... "Less is more. Rest is productive"~my mantra (at least for a few hours) Thanks~~
I'm always much better at counseling others to slow down, unwind, and don't beat yourself up for taking the time you need to recharge your creative batteries than I am at taking my own advice to heart. Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you for the reminder and you're perspective! In our rush rush world, it's hard to remember that productivity is not the only thing you should strive for.
Ahh sounds so much like my experience in the Catskills late last month. I wanted to be super productive and I ended up doing more resting and recharging instead. I stayed at Winterclove Inn and loved it!
So true. I took today off work and finished a 1200 word essay this morning but it's not enough in my mind. I just need to be patient. I have 5 more days off work and I'm sure I will find time for more writing. It's not cramming for an exam.
One of the weirdest things about being a creative person is understanding that the creativity can’t just flow for 40 hours per week. It requires fallow times. Things need to simmer. I’m mixing metaphors! Anyhow I struggle with this too! It’s hard to feel okay about giving myself the quiet time that is absolutely 100% necessary for my practice.
Quiet time is where the magic happens! ;)
I really needed to read this. Thank you ❤️
Me too – the headline alone had me ❤️
I used to get terribly depressed in November, but have grown to love the November slow down. We all need to take it easy now and again.
The writing has been very difficult the past two weeks. But it can't always flow out easily. Just enjoy the sleep and darkness and holidays and keep pounding the keys despite knowing its going to get cut later.
When the writing's going bad for me, that usually means I'm not paying attention enough in my life.
I figured out that I just need to double back, revise, and tie it all a little tighter before I can move forward.
I recently had a slightly similar experience, but in a hospital. I'm very happy for you and anyone else that is able to slow down, and rejuvenate. We're important, dog gone it!
It was so perfect that I saw this post in the midst of a particularly unproductive day. Sometimes rest is productive. Thanks for the reminder!
Hard to remember, sometimes, when society makes us feel that productivity is what gives life meaning.
There is nothing quite as energizing and rejuvenating as being bale to go to be early. Love it.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I think it's all too easy for many of us (I hope it's not just me) to fill as much as we can into as short a time period as possible. To do, do, do and go, go, go. We forget, or at least I do, how beneficial it is to give our bodies and our brains some downtime.
Reminds me of Oliver Burkeman's 4000 Weeks: Time Management For Mortals. :)
Rest is not only good for creativity, it’s absolutely essential. I learned the same lesson on a writers retreat I went on earlier this year. It took me two whole days to realise it was okay to take an afternoon nap (bliss!), or to stop writing and just read for an hour. The amount of work I got done after those initial few days was amazing.
So glad you rested on your retreat, we have to learn to not beat ourselves up when we choose to chill.
I love this. Thank you. I dropped my spouse and kids at the airport on Saturday to give myself a 4-night 'home-residency' before heading to his parents' house tomorrow. It's been so great! Quiet! Time to think, repot plants, print out the whole cringey draft. . . But! But! The first 24 hours so much internal chatter about maximizing the time, what that meant, and for whom I was doing it. Thank you for sharing this.
I am taking this wisdom with me to Sea Ranch tomorrow to remind myself... "Less is more. Rest is productive"~my mantra (at least for a few hours) Thanks~~
❤️❤️❤️🤌🏻
The Catskills have such a creative vibe. Glad you enjoyed the r&r time.
I'm always much better at counseling others to slow down, unwind, and don't beat yourself up for taking the time you need to recharge your creative batteries than I am at taking my own advice to heart. Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you for the reminder and you're perspective! In our rush rush world, it's hard to remember that productivity is not the only thing you should strive for.
Ahh sounds so much like my experience in the Catskills late last month. I wanted to be super productive and I ended up doing more resting and recharging instead. I stayed at Winterclove Inn and loved it!
So true. I took today off work and finished a 1200 word essay this morning but it's not enough in my mind. I just need to be patient. I have 5 more days off work and I'm sure I will find time for more writing. It's not cramming for an exam.