What’s in this issue:
You are worthy of rest — an alternative perspective on what it means to “waste” time
Journaling prompts to reflect on what rest and leisure mean to you
The 7 questions that will change the way you lead forever
😆 Today’s Laugh
OK, today’s laugh is a bit of a cheat in that it isn’t funny per se but it’s a super interesting graphic about funny things. So I’m counting it.
💭 Today’s Thought
You are worthy of rest
Today, I’m pulling a quote from the fabulous book Four Thousand Weeks, which boldly claims that the only way to waste our limited time on this earth is to spend every minute trying to be “productive”.
The truth, then, is that spending at least some of your leisure time “wastefully,” focused solely on the pleasure of the experience, is the only way not to waste it—to be truly at leisure, rather than covertly engaged in future-focused self-improvement. In order to most fully inhabit the only life you ever get, you have to refrain from using every spare hour for personal growth.
- Oliver Burkeman
These days, it’s natural to think that the best way to make the most of our limited time is to fill it with activities in which we’re actively accomplishing or improving things (or ourselves).
Consequently, true rest and leisure feel either like luxuries we might never afford, or like means to an end (e.g. “I’ll take a couple hours off today so that I can be even more productive tomorrow.”)
But what if rest, relaxation, and leisure are worthwhile ends in and of themselves?
Consider the following perspectives:
The fact that an activity brings you rest, pleasure, joy, or fun in the moment is all the value that it ever needs to deliver to make it worthy of your time.
To live your life fully, you are essentially obligated to experience rest and leisure — to take a break from being “productive”.
What (if anything) shifts for you when you try these perspectives on? What becomes possible?
You are worthy of rest simply because you’re a living, breathing human being. No further justification needed.
🖊️ Today’s reflection
If you’re new to journaling, I highly encourage you to read Nancy Adler’s article: Want to be an outstanding leader? Keep a journal.
This week, find a quiet place and gift yourself 10 minutes to reflect on any of these prompts (or invent your own!):
What is “rest”?
What is “leisure”?
For you, what activities are worth doing for their own sake, and not because they deliver some future benefit or value?
How did you experience rest or leisure today?
📚 Today’s Read
These 7 questions will change the way you lead forever
Coaching is one of the most important and underutilized leadership skills today. If you’re in a leadership role — or really, any role where you need to put on a coaching hat — these 7 questions will help you tap into more curiosity, get to the root of an issue, and unleash change and forward action in others.
P.S. I highly recommend Michael Bungay Stanier’s book The Coaching Habit!
See you next week!
xo,
Anne