When’s the last time you did absolutely nothing? As a working mom, I honestly can’t remember. Life is full, challenging and scheduled.
I recently listened to a TED Radio hour show on Slowing Down that had me nodding my head with each of the talks. And laughing. And sighing. Maybe one or two internal eye rolls. One of the talks was with psychologist Adam Grant says those who slow down – even procrastinate – tend to be more creative, original thinkers. Procrastination allows us to reflect, build and improve on ideas.
Often I find myself trying to get through my checklist at work to avoid that bigger writing project. I’ll admit it feels better to have lots of checks vs. one check in my notebook. Then, when panic sets in on a looming deadline, I jump in. But I’ve realized leaving myself a day or even two to let a project sit means I come back with better ideas.
So, how do you slow down and allow some procrastination into the busy workweek? Take a listen to the Slowing Down show on TED Radio hour. You’ll hear talks from Thomas Hellum about ‘Slow TV’, Tim Urban’s examination of a procrastinator’s brain, and Lakshmi Pratury focusing on what we gain by a handwritten letter. Go ahead, start procrastinating.
