Maybe I just really needed a vacation, but as it was winding down, and I started thinking about works, blogs, etc., I was compelled to write a bit about PRODUCTIVITY.
Specifically, I want to be a bit negative about productivity. I had a decidedly unproductive week while on vacation. True, I was able to check email a few times, although I could not send. I checked voice mail, but I called no one back. I did some reading, but I didn’t finish a book. Even in vacation terms, productivity was not the goal. I didn’t always make it back to the beach in the afternoon, which meant an extra trip or sometimes two to fetch all the beach stuff.
My conclusion about my profound lack of productivity? It was great! Certainly you shouldn’t always be unproductive. I produce a lot in my life and I am proud of that. But don’t underestimate the value of periodic explorations of non-productivity. I have emerged renewed and clearer. I look back and I actually do this during my workday as well. I spend time with my colleagues without an agenda. I do some reading. I talk to my friends. All of this doesn’t contribute to any deliverables, but it makes me whole.