What's top of mind?
Read a blog post by Paul Graham recently. Paul writes:
"I realized recently that what one thinks about in the shower in the morning is more important than I'd thought. I knew it was a good time to have ideas. Now I'd go further: now I'd say it's hard to do a really good job on anything you don't think about in the shower."
Ironically, I'm fniding myself thinking about this blog post now when I'm not thinking about anything else. I think I agree with him, that time spent outside of work/the domain where you're wrestling with stuff can be very productive, creative, perspective-giving time. Many of these cycles, now, I'm finding go to my kids and it does, I think, make my job tougher (but maybe parenting easier?)
For parents who have work or goals beyond parenting, what do you think about when you have time to think? For those who have been at this awhile, how do you balance the two?
2 Answers
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My active parenting time has passed.. but I still think about family matters. However, when I have time to think, I relax, refresh, try to clear my mind and get a fresh perspective on things --- so that when I return to the " work" of life, I don't feel overwhelmed or stuck. This was true when I had kids at home too. " Analysis paralysis" ( over thinking a situation) can actually inhibit creativity or a solution to something. Breathe deeply, enjoy nature, exercise, do " nothing", turn off your brain for a few minutes and see what happens! This might take some practice and time. But if you keep at it, you may be surprised at the outcome.
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When I'm driving places by myself is often a good time to think and ideas can flow. But then again ideas come to me when I'm out and about experiencing things with my friends and family too. It also helps to get a day to myself (okay, more like several hours) outside of work and away from my family. For these times, it helps to have good friends who your child loves to be with, so you can get some down time and you can return the favor when the friend's parents need this also.
