Pointlessly Productive

I am a busy man. I’m the CEO of a growing mid-sized credit union, the father of 3 young boys, husband of a beautiful and motivated woman and am active in my church and community. Not that I’m any different than the rest of society. The sandwich artist that begrudgingly toasted my sub this afternoon was too busy to make small talk. The driver in the car ahead of me on my way home was too busy to wait for the green light to turn right, despite the “no turn on red” sign hanging just north of her SUV. We are a busy people. Too busy. It feels most nights like I just started on my to-do list when my head hits the pillow. So how do I reconcile my mind with my appointment book?

I spend some time doing something completely unconstructive. Poignantly pointless. Unabashedly unproductive. I anchor the boat, wade into the water and find flat rocks to stack on the beach. No, literally, that's what I do. I pile driftwood into a worthless work of art. I unplug my brain, at least the left side, and plug into my senses. How does the water feel on my legs, how does the beach feel on my feet, how does the driftwood feel in my hands. I expect no applause for my efforts. I am not fulfilling an item anywhere on an agenda and I won’t be getting a congratulatory email from a board member for my attempt. That is precisely why it works.

When my mind gets too full and my batteries are dead it is time to clear the calendar and pull out the paints and a nice clean canvas and make a masterpiece that will never hang in the Louvre. I get completely caught up in the color.



The smell of the oil paint and the feeling of the brush between my fingers force me to do what even a really good pub burger and cold beer can’t do. It makes me focus on the moment, and only the moment. It gives my brain permission to recharge and reset itself. Those few valuable hours “wasted” on these trivial efforts are what keeps me sane. They don’t happen often enough right now, but when they do…oh how sweet it is. If you feel the pressure of your planner. If you feel crushed under the weight of your calendar, if your Blackberry has you ready to blackout, you may be long overdue for some wasted time. It is unbelievable how valuable it can be to do something worthless.