“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”
-Peter F. Drucker, Austrian-born American management consultant, educator, and author.
Whether or not you feel it winding down, 2018 is gradually coming to a close. If you’re on top of your game, you know the end of the year is a good time to take stock of what you’ve accomplished and what you’d like to pursue in 2019. The post-mortem gives way to the pre-game warm-up, as it were. But before you do any of this, please do one thing:
Give it a rest.
Do nothing. Please. Reclaim some of your stillness. Give yourself plenty of down cycles before reserving your seat on the next productivity express.
I know, it’s a little contradictory to the focus we usually bring to Tuesday Tactics, but it’s more important than ever to nurture the sort of stillness and idleness that helps give way to creativity and rejuvenation. Need convincing? Just take a tour of this Farnam Street piece on “The Art and Science of Doing Nothing.”
The article features highlights from Andrew Smart’s intriguing book, “Autopilot: The Art and Science of Doing Nothing.” One quote in particular seemed particularly valuable for this “end of year” recharge when it comes to embracing idleness:
“What comes into your consciousness when you are idle can often be reports from the depths of your unconscious self– and this information may not always be pleasant. Nonetheless, your brain is likely bringing it to your attention for a good reason. Through idleness, great ideas buried in your unconsciousness have the chance to enter your awareness.”
Self-awareness? Great ideas? Do I need to make the case any stronger? Before you launch yourself into 2019, give it a rest.
