It’s Not Just Time. It’s Also Energy.

I hear this all the time and you probably do, too: “I don’t have time.” It’s often the first response or excuse we think of when we don’t want to do something or think it isn’t possible.

I grew up writing stories and poems. I enjoyed it. I majored in English in college and when I wasn’t writing essays or creative pieces for school assignments, I would also write for myself. That practice continued long after I graduated. I had notebooks and PC word docs filled with stories and ideas that I created in the evenings after work or on weekends.

But as years went by I began working longer, more stressful hours at my job and writing for fun slowed down. And then stopped. I didn’t write for eight years.

Certainly the more hours I spent working meant fewer hours left for myself, but what was worse than the lack of time was the lack of energy. I was tired in every sense: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. My free time became about recovery, not about hobbies, having fun, and spending time with people. I needed a lot of sleep just to be able to get back up the next day or the next Monday and go to work again.

My mind and energy were so consumed by work that I didn’t have the brain-space for creative ideas. Then about the same time that I decided to quit my job, I started thinking of stories again and wanted to write about them.

One evening I dreamt a fully formed story that included a solid plot, and wrote it down as soon as I woke. As I got in bed another evening, I had an idea for a children’s book. I got out my notebook and started writing. Four hours later, I had the entire story on paper.

Other times a melody and a few words would appear in my mind and within minutes I had a page of lyrics with the musical notes that I guessed at.

Once I made up my mind to quit, energy flowed back into the parts of myself that had been neglected for too long. Becoming consumed by work robbed my creativity and self-expression. Unplugging from the corporate treadmill brought it back.

I was still working full days while I planned my departure, but my life-force was directed towards creating a healthy, happy, meaningful existence. The hours between work and sleep now had the potential to work on creative projects. When I shifted my priorities, my entire life shifted.

Tags: living a bigger life, time and energy