My uncle sold investments and I remember him saying, “Most people are too busy working to make any money.” At the time, that seemed like a huge oxymoron to me. However, that was his way to get your attention and make a point. How you invest your money plays an important role in retirement planning.
My question for us is this: “Are we too busy working to be productive?” At first glance, that may also seem like an oxymoron. However, recently we have been discussing how busy we are at work. In all that busyness and in the “doing” we may forget to think larger. There is a reason that we have some great ideas while daydreaming in the shower. There have been studies that show people have more creative inspiration in the shower than they do at work. Relaxation allows our brains time for creative thinking and to see the bigger picture.
For most of us, relaxing hasn’t been in our job description. It has been hard work, nose to the grindstone, and that extra effort has been recognized and rewarded. And while diligence and hard work are good and worthy, anything taken to an extreme can become a weakness. We are pretty adept at squeezing all the white space out of our lives both personally and professionally. Regularly taking time to get away, slow down, relax, and allow your mind to wander could be surprisingly productive. How you spend your time truly plays an important role in how productive you are at work. Going forward, let us be careful not to confuse “busy” with “productive”.
Jack Woelber, President, Interstates Control Systems, Inc.