July 04, 2010

Productivity vs. Creativity

Keeping busy is not your most important activity:

My best ideas come to me when I am unproductive. When I am running but not listening to my iPod. When I am sitting, doing nothing, waiting for someone. When I am lying in bed as my mind wanders before falling to sleep. These “wasted” moments, moments not filled with anything in particular, are vital.

They are the moments in which we, often unconsciously, organize our minds, make sense of our lives, and connect the dots. They're the moments in which we talk to ourselves. And listen.

Getting things done and knowing what to do are different problems.


From the Harvard Business Review.

2 comments:

Hope Chella said...

Such a good point!

Anonymous said...

Excellent post. Definitely read the whole article and the Harvard Business Review. Despite the article's title, it's not about the iPad.