If you could choose, would you be more productive or more present?
Can you be more productive so that you can be more present?
Are the two always at odds against one another?
The cult of productivity has a large following. There is a profound loss of presence and understanding in our world.
Where do we need to direct our attention?
When the cult of productivity requests an offering of your effort and attention, how can you say no to the alms bowl that has made its way to you?
Is it possible to stay in the community and not worship at the altar of productivity? Must you be sent out into the desert with no future to look forward to?
What happens when presence sets foot in the temple of productivity and refuses to bend the knee to false gods?
Can presence fulfill the same work yet attend to different rules and metrics?
There is no easy answer to these questions. Most important is to know that you are in the cult and to decide if that is the place you want to be.
I think being present aids productivity, but we're often sacrificing long-term productivity (balance with being present in one's own life) with short term goals. The same happens on smaller scale at work too, where you have to balance time for daily fires vs long-term investment in what really matters.
ReplyDeleteBeing present definitely boosts productivity, and in a culture of achievement that provides strong incentive because we feel like we are really excelling and making progress. Corporate America would love if everyone was present and fully engaged in their work, can you imagine the boost in productivity!
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