This is a great post from Derek Sivers. He’s pretty a accomplished artist and entrepreneur, so when he presents words of wisdom I jump to read them. The point here is that we need to take time for ourselves and do things that we want to do – even if there is no tangible benefit.
This is especially hard to internalize because our society values being BUSY. But that can easily lead to inefficiency and burnout. Activities that are relaxing for us actually help our brains make new connections, become more creative, and ultimately produce better work. Have you ever had a really great idea while you were in the shower? That’s your brain working in a roundabout way. Check out this entertaining 17 minute lecture by Barbara Oakley (or a shorter 5 minute version) to see why sometimes it’s important to let your brain have some breathing room (or as Derek Sivers put it, take time to be useless).
I was useless the other day when I decided to read a comic book for pleasure. Check out my book talk.
Curious about Kettlebells? Check out Jen Sinkler. She’s a badass beast and this month she’s sending out a 30-day workout challenge. If you’re new to working out you can choose which days to exercise based on biofeedback (you’ll get an explanatory introductory video, it’s super easy to do). And if you are totally new to Kettlebells and want a quick lesson on basic exercises and common mistakes, check out my kettlebell video.
And if you need a soundtrack to accompany all this goodness, check out Miri Ben Ari. She is the ultimate hip hop violinist and vibes on some classic hits in her performance at the Apollo.
Find the balance. 