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Dear friends,
I hope that August finds you rested, rejuvenated, and ready to tackle the real new year- September. This month’s musings stem from a recent lunchtime conversation with a lovely colleague. She was talking about how to streamline her life to enhance her effectiveness. (As an aside, I’ve noticed that this topic seems to be top-of-mind for the most productive people I know!) She asked me what action has most improved my productivity in recent memory, and my own answer surprised me – returning to dance classes.
Reflecting on this unexpected revelation, I looked into the effect of dedicated hobbies on work performance. Similar to the guitar player in this article, I’ve been pursuing my activity-Indian classical dance-all my life. I stopped taking classes and performing when I started my residency, and with the demands of work and small kids, I wasn’t able to resume until about 6 years ago. This demanding and intense practice has brought me renewed energy and inspiration, and despite the time commitment, my outside passion makes me more creative and effective. My individual experience aligns with research. Studies demonstrate that leaders who pursue their non-work interests can be more effective (unless it is excessive golfing, which detracts from performance- no joke!).
What activity/hobby/interest would you pursue if you had more time? Don’t think about what it should be- I don’t want to hear “I guess I would try to get in shape.” Think about what you would do that would bring you joy. I admit that adding in anything to your life, even a pursuit that you love, can feel daunting. This is where the cliché “don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good” comes in. To excel as a dancer, I would need to commit to significant daily practice time that would have to come from sleep, work, or family time. I’ve reconciled myself to finding joy in the time that I am dancing, even if I can’t practice as much as I – or my teacher- would like. Many of you will be having the reaction that there are many, many things you would do if you had more time- one theme I hear a lot, especially from working parents, is the desire to see friends more or enjoy more quality time with family. Can you combine your passion with your people? My daughter and I have the same teacher and practice dance together, and I roped a couple of friends into joining my class. It takes some effort and executive function to fit in a hobby, but as a friend said to me, “if we brought the same intention to our leisure time as we do to our working hours, we could get a lot more out of it.”
So, as the last days of summer slip away, put some effort into activities that feed your spirit, and don’t forget to drop me a line or send me a photo! Finally, if you know anyone who would like these posts, they can sign up here at the bottom of the page to receive the monthly messages. I hope it goes without saying, but just in case, please know that I wouldn’t dream of sharing your email addresses with anyone!
Warmly,
Urmimala