The productivity trap!

My dad is the son of generations of farmers out in the Palouse (think: endless rolling hills of corn and wheat in Washington State). My inherited mentality from my incredibly hardworking dad is to be productive, work with integrity, and always look for opportunities for efficiency.

This year, after realizing I felt personally and professionally depleted, I have begun to re-evaluate how I define success in my life, and had an ah-ha moment about productivity. The thing is, I have looked at "down time" as unproductive and therefore not valuable, not contributing. If I were a Palouse farmer in harvest season 100 years ago, this mentality would absolutely serve me and keep the bills paid! Today, I am fortunate to work for an employer who offers me PTO and work/life balance.

I am realizing that success can be measured just as much by my quality of life as quantity of accomplishments. Of course it's a balance, and being productive in my work and home life feels fantastic. But taking a long weekend to unplug and go camping with friends, stopping for coffee on the way to work and chatting with the hilarious barista (hey, friends at Peets!) or just stopping to take a few deep breaths in my cubicle and count my blessings is valuable too.

Success to me is getting broader, and includes moments and experiences that don't always produce anything tangible but bring me joy and connection.

How do you unplug and recharge, in big or small ways? This is a new journey for me, I'd love to hear your perspective!