Now and again, we’ll publish a short article in addition to your Sunday newsletters. These are intended to flesh out an idea that gives you something to think about for your creative practice. This is one such article.
The Pits of Productivity
I saw this tweet below by Leah Pierson, and my first thought was ‘hey, what a great idea!’
And I still think it’s a good idea, but it also got me thinking…
There is only value in saying no, if you can be free to say yes.
It seems obvious, right?
And it is… but spend 5 minutes on #Productivity Twitter and you’ll see a huge emphasis on saying ‘no’ because:
You will reclaim more of your time.
You will regain more of your energy.
You will get rid of ‘toxic’ people who suck your resources.
You will increase your focus.
You will be more productive.
But what’s the point?
It’s not like I can bottle up my time and save it for later. What do I do with all this ‘regained’ energy? What will I use my increased focus and productivity on?
Who are these ‘toxic’ people, and are they really sooo poisonous for wanting to talk to me?
And no, your mum or dad asking you to fix their computer on Zoom and spending 10 minutes just getting the camera to point at their face, does not make them ‘toxic’ people that you should say ‘no’ to - necessarily.
Purpose and Vision
Rather than focusing on all the things we “should” be declining, perhaps the foremost important step is getting clear on what’s worth saying ‘yes’ to.
In a past article, I talked about purpose and vision being the core of one’s creative practice and discipline.
What do you want your life to be in the service of? How do you want to make a difference to the lives of others?
Sidenote: If this is the first time you’re encountering these questions for yourself, here is a great blog from Steve Pavlina - ‘How to Discover Your Life Purpose in About 20 Minutes.’
I find that dialogue brings a level of depth that this exercise alone can’t deliver, but it’s a good start.
Narration is available for you on the Optimal Living Podcast on the widget below:
Invitations to Say Yes
Ultimately, everything that comes our way is an invitation.
I’m something of a productivity junkie myself (hence my familiarity with #Productivity Twitter). It feels like ‘saying no’ has become the new ‘badge of honour’ previously awarded to ‘being busy’.
We say ‘no’ because it makes us feel like we have some modicum of control in a life that’s inherently not in our control. It makes us feel like we’re ‘winning’ in this game called ‘boundaries’, and it makes us feel important.
So I want to bring myself (and yourself, if you’re resonating with this) back to the point and value of saying ‘no’: so that I can say ‘yes’ to life’s invitations that put me in line with my purpose, who I am and how I want to serve others.
Say no, to say yes.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Things I read while I was writing this:
This Tweet by Leah Pierson
This Blog by Steve Plavlina
This Book, by Oliver Burkeman