Fast-forward two weeks after vacation and I've clocked about 70 hours in each with some very late nights and early mornings. The first week, I could blame the early mornings on jet lag; at the end of the second, I am reminded of the constant struggle for balance in our society and among entrepreneurs -- it's especially hard when you truly love what you do.
Last night, while returning from a full day meeting in wine country, I heard a radio talk show host discussing how to enhance creative flow. (Unsurprisingly, tackling work projects was not listed as a way to enhance creativity and productivity.) She is indeed correct about time -- one of our most "precious resources", and how down-time allows us to capture a quiet, focused mind for problem solving.
The times when we feel most overloaded and "stuck" are exactly when we need to take a break. Switching gears with a walk, music, aromatherapy, massage, napping, spending time with a pet, or even day-dreaming all qualify as relaxation activities. I am personally guilty of hurrying my beloved Newfies on our walk so I rush back into my office. And I can't remember the last time I actually drifted into a day-dream -- do adults even do that?
Tomorrow is officially a work- and technology-free day for me at Trellis Wine Consulting. Perhaps I'll re-read one of my favorite books: Flow, The Psychology of Optimal Experience, which discusses how to improve life quality by ordering the conscious.
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