Holding Space or Keeping Pace?
Are you holding space or keeping pace? Do you feel guilty when dedicating time and energy for things that light you up? Do you ever wonder why?
The “business of busy” is ingrained into our culture.
Don’t believe me? What’s a common answer to the question, “How’s it going”?
"I’m busier than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest"
"I’m busier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs."
Busyness is a status symbol.
Cal Newport offers that it comes down to how we define productivity, and in many cases, it lacks a clear definition. When the picture of success for a role is vaguely defined, the collective means of evaluation can start to look like this:
Your response time to email and Slack.
The amount of free time on your calendar.
The level of frantic energy you present in your interactions.
A cheekier version of this manifested in George Costanza’s character in Seinfeld. If you recall, whenever his boss appeared in his office, he immediately made it appear he was stressfully busy. As soon as his boss left, he began planning his next nap under his desk.
I am not advocating for the shedding of all personal responsibilities.
With some structure and focus, you can dedicate time in your day to explore what excites you, while providing tremendous value to your employer and/or customers. In fact, I’d argue that you are more valuable to your employer if you are inspired and your curiosity is activated.
But how?
