I have always found April to be a challenging month.  During the winter months, some aspects of my life are able to hibernate (certain home, garden, and work projects), but then spring, a season literally and figuratively budding with new life and possibilities, arrives, and I am suddenly inundated by a real sense of urgency and hurry.  There is now so much to do.   I’ve now got to be more productive and stop wasting time!

As we mentioned in both our January newsletter and our introduction for this month’s newsletter, the theme we are focusing on this year in our newsletter and summer series is “Pressure Points,” reflecting on some of the stress in our daily lives (productivity, perfectionism, and popularity) and possible ways we can respond more healthfully to them.

Therefore, rather than allowing myself to get caught up in my normal April frenzy, I intentionally made myself pause and consider: what do “productivity” and “wasting time” really mean?

Turning to one of my favorite resources, the Webster’s dictionary (sadly no familial connection), “productivity” is defined as:

1. 1. Having the quality or power of producing, especially in abundance.

1. 1. Yielding results, benefits, or profits.

1. 1. Effective in bringing about.

What struck me about this is that, societally speaking, there is a lot of emphasis placed on the first two entries for the word – “producing in abundance” and “yielding results and [particularly] profits,” which in some instances are important and should be sought after.  

Yet, I believe it is the third entry for the word – “effective in bringing about” – that needs further exploration, particularly for those who are seeking to bring about God’s reign on earth (here and now).  

In other words, how effective are we being in terms of loving our neighbors?  Or cultivating relationships, especially with those who see the world differently than we do?  Or creating intentional spaces where joy can be experienced by all who have gathered?      

Regarding the definition of “wasting time,” Wikipedia Encyclopedia (which is not considered a scholarly resource, but I found it provided some helpful insight) stated that it “may refer to:

1. 1. Idleness, a lack of motion or energy.

1. 1. Goofing off, engaging in an idle pastime while neglecting obligations.

1. 1. Procrastination, avoidance of doing a task.”

Again, when I looked at these three entries, I found that all of them conformed to society’s general negative understanding of the term “wasting time.”  And therein, I believe, lies one of our challenges.  “Wasting time” can certainly become a problem when obligations and responsibilities are neglected.  However, “idleness” or “ a lack of motion” is not, and should not always be considered, a bad thing.  

In fact, many “successful” people (whether in business, music, arts, professional sports, etc.) have mentioned how “wasting time” is a vital aspect of their “productivity.”  [Click here to read about the benefits of “wasting time.”  Note: several articles about this topic that I prefer more have recently gotten moved to behind a paywall.]

Likewise, Jesus often paused in his ministry to rest and pray as he went about “productively” sharing God’s love with the world.

Therefore, this month, and hopefully  in the months to come,  I want to challenge us all to slow down and to intentionally “waste time” so that we can hear from God how to be more productive/ “effective in bringing about” the abundant life that God wants for us all.*  

Here are some reflection questions for your consideration:

• • What does “productivity” look like to you?  Thoughts?  Words?  Images?

• • Do you constantly feel like you are in a hurry or rush?  What is fueling that feeling?

• • How have deadlines, timelines, and bottom lines affected your pace of life?  What sort of power have you given to these imaginary lines?  What options do you have?**

• • How would you define “wasting time”?

• • When are “productivity” and “wasting time” compatible?  When are they not?

• • What are some of your favorite ways to productively “waste time?”  

Eastertide Blessings,

Karen H. Webster

HSHC Co-founder/Executive Director

*To have more opportunities to reflect on this topic be sure to register for our Summer Series (registration opens Monday June 3, 2024)! ** The questions in this bullet point were taken from the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us, by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun (2015), page 80.

Catching Up With Time

A common theme that others have shared with me recently is their lack of time.  “If only I had more time to…” “There just aren’t enough hours in the day to…” “How do I make the most of the time I have left?” 

This is certainly not a new issue; people have been wrestling with this since the beginning of time.  I know that for me, even as a young child, I would find myself unnecessarily rushing through things and sometimes making errors (especially when doing my math assignments!) because I felt a certain amount of urgency… time was slipping away, so I’d better hurry. 

The intensity of this challenge became even more apparent for me personally several weeks ago as I turned another year older.  Thankfully, I had a scheduled trip to the west coast to visit my family, as well as some days intentionally set aside to be unplugged from technology, which afforded me the opportunity to pause time so that I could catch up with it. 

 

Pause time? 

You can’t do that. 

Oh, but I did… although, not in the way I anticipated! 

 

My natural inclination is that, when a challenge arises, I research what others have to say about it.  No need to recreate the wheel, times a’ wastin’!  Thus, I found myself quickly drawn to New York Times bestselling author Juliet Funt’s book, “A Minute to Think: Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness, And Do Your Best Work.”  As I quickly scanned through the opening pages, the premise of the book seemed solid, and I could see that, in the later chapters, it offered what appeared to be some practical suggestions.  Yet, as I read it, something felt lacking. 

So, I turned to another book that a friend recently told me about: “No Cure for Being Human (And Other Truths I Need to Hear)“ by Kate Bower, who is also a New York Times bestselling author.  It, too, was intriguing, but something still felt unsettled inside of me as I tried to figure out how to organize my time.  What should my priorities be?  What could I let go?  What should I do? 

Since my research did not seem to be working, I resolved to press on… actively seeking any opportunity where I could carve out space so that I might gain new clarity and/or insight as to how I should approach time. 

 

As timing would have it, that very same afternoon, as I walked into my brother’s kitchen in Washington state, my young nieces (12 and 10) and nephew (6) asked me if I wanted to join them in playing with their playdough.  I didn’t waste a skinny minute.  I quickly sat down at the kitchen table with them, hoping that, through mushing the dough between my fingers, I could perhaps get a better grasp of time, or at least have some fun trying! 

As my nephew busily made a banana and a rolled-up burnt pancake (left image), I wasn’t sure what to do with the blank space sitting in front of me.  So, I decided to start by making a daisy flower because they bring me joy… then two daisies… then three… then grass… and then, finally, adding a berry bush that one of my nieces made for me. 

As I worked on the final pieces of my now “art” project, I was only marginally aware of how much time had gone by, other than I knew that dinner would be coming soon, so I’d have to finish up.  Yet, I wasn’t quite ready.  In order for my playdough time to be “officially finished” in my mind, I needed to add some sort of word or phrase to my picture, but what was fitting? 

Peace?  Joy?  Love?  As I visualized how each of them would look, none felt right. 

Then, suddenly, “Abide in Me…” popped into my mind, and I found myself filled with a great sense of peace… “Abide in me as I abide in you.  Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.” – John 15:4 

 

Prior to my playdough time, I knew that I could not slow time or regain time.  However, it was in that moment when I was humbly reminded that I had been trying too hard to control time on my own terms rather than abiding (also translated as continuing, staying, remaining) in God.

Once I invited God back to be my “time management partner,” I was able to return to the two books I had started, both offering me new insights as well as practical suggestions (I commend them both to you!).

 

Praise be to God for providing me the space to catch up and re-establish my relationship with time.

 

May all be well,

Karen H. Webster

HSHC Cofounder/Executive Director