Why I went part-time in GTD

I read this quote in Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero:

“The Sabbath calls us to build the doing of nothing into our schedules each week. Nothing measurable is accomplished.”

This thought has stuck with me as I go about my Sundays. It has helped me define a bit more the ways I want to spend my Sabbath. Even reading books had become something I needed to accomplish. I had to read a certain amount of pages while the girls napped to feel it was purposeful. I had become obsessed with measurables. Slowly I started to ask myself, why I did the things I did and my hyper-driven mind was finely able to slow down and embrace the Sabbath.

But here’s the thing. I think we need these unmeasurable moments throughout our days too. I had found myself rushing my quiet times so that I could get on to “more productive” work. Just me? 

First of all, any time we spend with God is good. It will not be wasted. It actually is productive. Second, I hated that my brain was programmed to feel like every part of my day needed to have measurable success. 

So I’m going part-time in the business of getting things done. I am shifting my mindset and my job description and it no longer says “must be productive all day long.” It’s a simple shift but one I’m hoping will force me to embrace this rest God offers us, one full day a week as well as moments throughout our day that will refresh us. 

I am basically scheduling times in my week where I am not measuring my time by the things I get accomplished. And y’all it’s not much time at all. I’m starting small so I can really get this and not have so many loopholes that I abandon it altogether. I’ll be the first to say, scheduling time in where I don’t accomplish things feels a little crazy to me BUT this isn’t something I’ll do forever. This is simply to get me in the habit of changing the mindset that I need to always be productive. And I’m thinking it will actually help me to use my “productive time” wiser and make my off-time sweeter. So basically, work hard, play hard. 

For me, this looks like:

• 5:00-6:30 AM MWF
• 5:00-6:00 AM TR
• 8:00-9:00 PM MTWRFS
• Sundown Saturday – Sundown Sunday 

If you are so used to having to do something, here are some ideas (but by no means things to check off, you crazy box checking addict! 😉 of what you can do in those unproductive times:

1. Let Bible reading or prayers linger.
2. Let bedtime stories and cuddles linger. I’ll go in and kiss Vivi and cuddle a little longer.
3. Let chats last longer. Or kissing. 😉
4. Nap.
5. Read books.
6. Big Sunday breakfasts
7. Friends for dinners on Saturday.

Can you schedule unproductive time into your days? Do you desperately need to? Is your brain hardwired to feel like if you aren’t accomplishing something measurable that it’s not worth your time?

Want more encouragement on rest and the Sabbath? Check out the She Works His Way app this week. I’m sharing 6 days of devotionals on rest!