A different kind of productivity

I had a conversation about productivity this week with a client and it reminded me how common it is this time of year to feel frustrated with our own pace.

It makes sense. Our bodies aren't meant to move at the same pace year-round and this is a slower chapter in the cycle. We are in the heart of winter. This isn't the season of output or expansion. Nature rests. Animals rest. The earth gathers herself quietly beneath the surface in preparation. Nothing is rushing and nothing is wrong.

I'm reminded of this clip from a favorite poem by Nikki Banas:

“I allow myself to shift with the seasons. I allow myself to go through cycles and phases like the sun and moon… I do not force growth in times when my soul yearns for rest.”

I had a conversation about productivity this week with a client and it reminded me how common it is this time of year to feel frustrated with our own pace.

It makes sense. Our bodies aren't meant to move at the same pace year-round and this is a slower chapter in the cycle. We are in the heart of winter. This isn't the season of output or expansion. Nature rests. Animals rest. The earth gathers herself quietly beneath the surface in preparation. Nothing is rushing and nothing is wrong.

I'm reminded of this clip from a favorite poem by Nikki Banas:

“I allow myself to shift with the seasons. I allow myself to go through cycles and phases like the sun and moon… I do not force growth in times when my soul yearns for rest.”

This rhythm of rest and motion is guiding how I move through my days right now. I'm scheduling extra rest where I can. Shortening my to-do list. Allowing things to take the time they take. Trusting that this slower, quieter energy isn't a failure of productivity, but a different form of productivity, one rooted in recovery and care.

So, if you're feeling slower, less motivated, or less “productive” right now, maybe it isn't something to fix. Maybe this is the work of winter: recognizing that seasons of recovery, patience, and care are a vital kind of productivity.