Have you found yourself feeling less productive in the last few weeks or months than you feel at other times? Or than you think you should be?
Then you are right in sync with mother nature!
Our energy follows the rhythms of nature
One thing is certain: if you are feeling unproductive right now, it will NOT help to beat yourself up! In fact, you might consider patting yourself on the back for being in sync with the rhythms of nature.
In winter, it is appropriate for us to hibernate. It’s possible that during winter, some of the ideas that are germinating in your subconscious won’t see the light of day until the warmer months.
Recently a dear friend reminded me that I have multiple reasons to give myself a break when feeling unproductive. After a cross-country move from our home of 25 years, we rented an apartment for 6 months while we looked for a new home in Colorado.
Once we found our new home, I expected myself to just jump right in and get down to business within a few weeks! My friend reminded me that you need time to adjust to transitions, be they large or small. If this resonates with you, consider:
- What transitions have you experienced over the last year or the last few months?
- Can you give yourself permission to use the quiet of winter to absorb the impact of the transitions, to rest, and to ponder where you are headed? (Click to Tweet!)
The perfect time to reflect on your priorities
“But I have so much to do!” I can hear some of you thinking or exclaiming. An excellent use of reflective time in winter is to consider what really has to be done in the grand scheme of things.
If you have a to-do list, you might take some time to look at it and notice what feelings arise as you scan each item. If you get a pit in your stomach at the thought of doing a particular task, it might be worth exploring whether it should remain a goal for you.
Martha Beck, world renowned coach and author of several bestselling books tells this story:
One time she was very low on energy and needed to choose which tasks felt important to her to complete. One task in particular seemed like the most important by the world’s standards, but Martha found that each time she tried to turn her attention to that task she had an uncomfortable feeling.
On the other hand, when she turned her attention to the task of writing the book Finding Adam she felt completely different. Even though people close to her discouraged her from “wasting” time writing the book, she felt energized and worked on the project with great joy and without tiring.
Following your energy is following your inner wisdom
Finding Adam, as you may know, became a best-selling novel which positively influenced the lives of many people. But Martha did not write the book with the intention of becoming a best-selling author, she wrote the book because it was calling to her to be written and her energy led her there. My question for you is:
- Where is your energy leading you?
- What are you longing to do that be all empirical measures just doesn’t make sense?
“To everything there is a season”
We live in a culture that encourages us to go go go! Our culture abounds with efficiency tips, “life hacks,” and other methods to wring productivity out of every moment. While some seasons call for this level of energy and production, it’s not sustainable!
A more gentle perspective is to remember that there are phases of expansion and contraction, of ebb and flow. The seasons are a perfect example of this: spring and summer are abundant and productive, fall and window are dark and restful.
So when you feel your energy waning, it’s no cause for alarm! Nor is it helpful to berate yourself. Instead, pat yourself on the back for being right in sync with nature. Know that your body and mind are resting and rejuvenating in preparation for a future burst of energy!
What is calling to you in this season of quiet and reflection? And what might you have to take off of your plate in order to allow that seed to grow? Share in the comments! We love to hear from you.
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