I was at the dentist with my daughter for her two hour appointment. I was fine for awhile. I had my phone so I was checking email, unsubscribing to some lists, reading blogs and playing Angry Birds.
Then my phone battery quit.
So I had to get creative:
- Made menu plans
- Wrote a gratitude list
- Brainstormed ideas
- Started a to do list
- Started this blog post
- Decided to do nothing for a bit and enjoy the sound of the rain
What do you do during waiting time? Do you get anxious during waiting time? Why do you think that is?
And one last question – do we really need to be productive with everything we do?
Photo Waiting for the Birds by: Eye of Einstein
Just being in restful awareness is the most productive and healing thing we can do for ourselves and the world. Thanks for your post, Beth!
Lately, I have been cleaning out old magazines and if I find an article I want to read, instead of reading it then, I tear it out and put it in a stack. I toss a few of these articles in my purse and when I am waiting, I have something to read that can be thrown away when I am done. Easy to transport and less weight to the purse. What I am discovering in these clean up sessions, too, is that magazines are a huge expense for lots of advertisements and few articles. So, your suggestion to cancel one magazine subscription goes right along with what to do with wait time.
Also, waiting gives me time to make a to do list, do a sudoku puzzle or just sit in the quiet. Thanks for letting me share.
-maggie-
Thought provoking as always Beth.
I don’t think we need to always be productive, I used to think this and try and do it, but now I try to just BE. I don’t always find it easy, but it is most certainly worthwhile.
That’s the rub, it’s so counter cultural and so unlike what we are used to, that being still can be difficult. Especially at first. So glad you are doing it Maree!
Great idea Maggie!
True, this restful awareness does help the world as well, Christina