I don’t have time for that! (I don’t think that’s for me, part 2)

On rest, play, and letting go of productivity

This post is part of “I Don't Think That's for Me,” a series exploring some of the things I hear people say about creativity, prayer, silence, and spiritual direction. Sometimes the assumptions we make about ourselves keep us from experiencing the good gifts God has for us. In this series, I'm taking a closer look at some of those assumptions and offering a different way to think about them. My hope is that you'll find a little more freedom to notice, wonder, play, and make space for God in your life.

“I don't have time to be creative.”

Remember my definition of creativity from Part 1?

Creativity is our response to God's world through noticing, wondering, exploring, and making.

When we think about creativity this way, it becomes much easier to see how it can fit into our everyday lives. Creativity doesn't have to mean setting aside an afternoon to paint or work on a project. It can be noticing something beautiful on a walk, wondering about something you've read, trying a new recipe, or finding a new way to solve a problem.

You might already be more creative than you realize!

And I would gently encourage you to make room for creativity in your life, even in small ways. Not because it's another thing you should be doing, but because noticing, wondering, exploring, and making help us engage more fully with the world God has given us.

“I'm too busy to slow down.”

I think sometimes this is a matter of priorities. We all find ways to take a break, but often those breaks look more like escaping than actually resting. (And I am the greatest culprit!)

There's nothing necessarily wrong with watching television or scrolling through your phone, but I know that sometimes I turn to those things because I don't want to think or feel or pay attention to anything at all.

And there's a difference between escaping our lives for a little while and making space to be present in them.

If slowing down feels impossible, start small. Maybe you spend a few minutes in silence once a week. Maybe you set aside an afternoon once a month to do something creative. Or maybe you schedule a spiritual direction appointment! Sometimes having that time on the calendar, especially with another person, helps us protect it.

The goal isn't to add another obligation to your life. It's to make a little room to receive what God might have for you. (See my blog post on Making Space as Surrender)

“I feel guilty taking time for myself.”

This is a big one, whether we say it consciously or not.

In a world that values productivity, busyness, and even stress, slowing down to do something restful or playful can feel wrong. Countercultural, even!

But God has modeled rest for us. He didn't create us to be endlessly productive. He created us for relationship with him, with one another, and with the world he made. Rest and play aren't rewards we earn after we've accomplished enough. They're good gifts we're allowed to receive.

And maybe that's what makes rest so difficult sometimes. We have to let go of the idea that our time is only valuable when we're accomplishing something.

The next time you feel guilty for resting, I wonder if you could pause and ask yourself why? What makes you feel that you need to earn your rest? And what might God want you to know about that?

Remember that you don't have to justify that time by making it useful. You are allowed to enjoy the gifts God has given you simply because they are good.