Interlude

It’s been a busy week, and though I haven’t had as much time as I’d like for writing, I’ve found myself contemplating leisure, particularly how it intersects with productivity. At first glance, leisure and productivity seem paradoxical. Aren’t they opposites?

I used to believe exactly that. For years, I viewed "play" as antagonistic to productivity. Every time I indulged in activities like gaming or watching TV, I felt guilty, as if I was squandering valuable time instead of advancing my goals.

In recent years I’ve come to realize that play can be profoundly productive. In fact, it is perhaps one of the most valuable ways we can spend our time.

For this week’s interlude, I’d like to share a few insightful quotes that have helped me redefine leisure, encouraging me to incorporate it more consciously into my life:

“Creativity is play, but for shadow artists, learning to allow themselves to play is hard work.” — Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way

“A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure… To himself, he always appears to be doing both.” — Vishen Lakhiani, The Code of the Extraordinary Mind

“A life well lived requires activities that serve no other purpose than the satisfaction that the activity itself generates.” — Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism

“To discern what is truly essential we need space to think, time to look and listen, permission to play, wisdom to sleep, and the discipline to apply highly selective criteria to the choices we make.” — Greg McKeown, Essentialism

This week, dear reader, I invite you to make space for play in your routine. It may just help you be more productive.

Until next week,

Ric