Why it's ok to not always be productive

Do you ever find yourself practicing your instrument and feeling that you're not getting anything done?

Here is why it's completely ok, from the following excerpts from an article on productivity by Jason Fried published in the latest edition of Inc.

"A few weeks ago, I was on fire." "Every day, I felt as if I were accomplishing two or three days' worth of work. I was in the zone, and it felt fantastic."

"It lasted about three weeks. And then I found myself back at my old pace. Instead of being super productive, I was sort-of-productive. Some days, I felt as if I barely accomplished anything."
"So what was wrong? Nothing at all."

"I believe it's perfectly fine to spend some of your time, maybe even a lot of your time, not firing up on all cylinders. Full capacity isn't always great for your mind."

"Motivation, productivity, efficiency- these things are not constants. In my experience, they come in waves. They ebb and flow, and there's no sense in fighting it. The key is to recognize a productivity surge when it appears, so you can roll with it."

"I think about work the same way I think about the weather. Sometimes it's snowy or rainy or foggy at work. When that happens, I stay 'inside'- and take care of the busy work, the boring stuff, the small things that need to get done."

"But when things warm up, it's time to head 'outside,' to get creative, focus on the interesting problems, and ride the wave of creativity as long as it lasts. It may be days, weeks, even months."


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