Nurturing Yourself

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Nurturing Yourself Creativity, Productivity, and Leisure

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The nerve-jangling pressure of lengthy daily " to do " lists can leach away

energy. The thought of adding more items to the list may fill you with more

dismay than delight, even if the addition is relaxation, creativity, or time

with a loved one. Yet when you refresh yourself in ways that are meaningful to

you, you add to your stock of energy and joy.

What does " creativity " mean to you? Writing a short story? Sculpting clay?

Designing a retreat? Pulling out a paint box? Dancing around the room? Building

a deck? Cooking up a feast? Landscaping a garden?

If you have a dream you’ve never explored, find small and big ways to follow

through. Sing in the shower, take lessons from a pro, or try out a song in front

of friends. If you have no idea where to turn, sign up for a class you think you

might enjoy. Give yourself the opportunity to try a variety of options. Don’t

give up if the first one fails to captivate you or if the results of your effort

don’t meet your expectations. Discover what creative work you love and do it.

Productive work forges links between you and the world and invests life with

meaning. It matters little whether these tasks are performed via a paid or

volunteer job or while digging in the garden. They offer pleasure and sometimes

the chance to be creative.

If you’re retired or find that the work that pays your bills offers few

opportunities for satisfaction, indulge your productive side elsewhere. The

simplest task, such as slicing vegetables for dinner or scrubbing a floor, may

be less tedious and more joyful if you approach it mindfully. Jobs that involve

other people can spark connections that nurture you in other ways. Work that

benefits others often offers special satisfactions. Such volunteer opportunities

abound for people of every age and level of ability. Check with VolunteerMatch

or SeniorCorps or call your local chapter of the United Way for tasks that fit

your talents and available time.

The job many of us find hardest is setting aside time for pursuits defined as

leisure. Reading a novel, playing a game of tennis, soaking in a hot bath, or

spending a half-hour meditating may seem like selfish activities. Productive and

even creative pursuits are more likely to meet with accepting nods. Yet

playfulness invites joy back into your life. And relaxation enhances " flow, " a

state described by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in which creative juices

are freed and their full expression is directed to all pursuits.

So, stretch out on a hammock for a nap. Enjoy a massage. Carve out 20 minutes

during your busy day for breath focus or progressive muscle relaxation. Soak in

the sounds of music you find calming or invigorating or simply pleasurable.

Taking this time for yourself helps ward off exhaustion and burnout, allowing

you to focus more attentively and less resentfully on the tasks of your day.

Consider it a gift to yourself that also pays dividends to others.

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