Savor the Moments

Productivity isn't everything.

I recently spent the weekend in Seaside, OR with my spouse and parents. We ate lots and got to take in some of the beautiful scenery of the Oregon coast for my mom's birthday. It was a pleasant reminder that taking time away from projects is as important as working on them.

It's easy to beat ourselves up when not working on our music, art, or other projects. Between the years 2011 to 2017, I was myopic and obsessed with being a productive musician. In many ways, that type of obsession yielded some great work, but it also cost me time spent with people who, sadly, are no longer with us.

Life happens fast, and all that time we think we can make up for with loved ones is never guaranteed. That's a lesson that most of us will learn the hard way. This past week was a good reminder that taking time away from the rat race is crucial.

And although taking this time away is essential, I'm constantly plagued by the persistent thought that if I'm not working on something all the time, I will fail. This is true of a lot of artists or entrepreneurs. It's challenging to balance ambition with restorative inaction.

While at the coast, I vacillated between being present and worrying about finishing the original article I had in mind for this week. Ultimately, whatever time I spent worrying was a total waste because I made incredible progress getting my office set up and landed on an article to release anyway. It shows that a brief pause can open up pathways to ideas that may have been outside your original field of view.

If you feel you can't afford to take a break, realize you're probably mistaken. There are moments when one must take advantage of the momentum and be ready to strike while the iron is hot. However, it's always worth taking a long hard look at whether or not our constant activity is simply a result of being too attached to a specific vision of how events are supposed to play out. Take the time to see the people who matter in your life because they are ultimately the ones who will cheer the loudest when you achieve your goals.