In 1930 the economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that we would only work 15-20 hours a week. That, obviously, hasn’t happened. Instead, we have learned to squeeze as much productivity as we possibly can out of our work week. In fact, we have even increased the number of hours we work.
You see, our economic worth is determined by our output. If we want to increase our worth, then we only have three options – either be more efficient, work more hours, or both. Economics dictates that we have to do this – because if we don’t then someone else will and we will be pushed out of the job.
Well, there is one other way – to be more creative at solving problems. Here’s the thing – creativity doesn’t work the same way as productivity. You can’t work harder in order to be creative. Nor can you work less. Creativity is different. Oh, it’s definitely work. It requires that we show up. All the time.
But it is not entirely our work. There’s something else going on. I have some of my own ideas, and I’ll share them eventually, but Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat. Pray. Love., does a much better job at describing this “something else” that’s going on:
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laughing AGAIN. watched this at my writing retreat last year at the convent in cincinnati.
are you familiar with that place, and with their writer’s retreats?