Do You Worship at the Altar of Productivity?
It might be time to smash your idols
There’s a joke in my family that goes something like this:
“Don’t put your fork down when you eat at Sue’s house because she’ll whisk your plate away!”
This refers to my sister’s Martha-ish way of housekeeping. She’s fastidious and likes to clean things up, finish something, wrap it up, move on, get it all done.
I am Martha-ish too and I’ve been guilty of moving from one task to the next, not allowing myself to linger or be fully present. The power of productivity had a strong grip on my life for many years. Checklists, planners, to-do lists, and color-coded calendars were all the markers of a productive life. I loved to get things done and walk away from the day reciting in my head all that I had accomplished.
Much like Martha’s personality as seen in Luke chapter 10 of the New Testament, I was driven to complete things and not stop to enjoy life around me
As a perfectionist, my self-worth was rooted in the belief that enough was never enough. When my husband was resting on the couch I was often found sweeping the kitchen…
