It’s summertime. If you’re not on vacation, then you’re probably making space for some bigger, longer-term projects.
Inevitably, our work time is split into two broad categories: the busy things we need to get through efficiently, and the labor that requires our thoughtful, soulful engagement.
We routinely struggle to create the right balance between the two, which is an important fight.
We also cannot forget that the qualities that serve us well in one area serve us poorly in the other. It’s great to be focused, urgent, and keeping an eye on the clock when tearing through our inbox. But striving to be driven, focused and efficient when we are engaging in bigger questions and in harder topics that don’t yield to quick and easy answers is, with due credit to Indiana Jones, like bringing a knife to a gun fight.
There’s no “hurrying up” when we’re working through big, complex problems.
Make the time, take the time, and don’t rush it.
For the second category work, it’s often extremely productive to create an atmosphere of creativity by spending time deep in the woods with Mother Nature.