Focus on Being Productive Instead of Busy

It feels like we’ve gotten more accomplished in the last few days than we have in the last few weeks.

Today I walked out on the back porch to find PJ on top of our pergola cutting back all the wisteria that has overtaken pretty much everything. We both love the look of the big, lush, green vine and wish it could stay, but he explained that if he didn’t cut it back now, it would get even more out of control and there would be no stopping it as it would eventually take over everything. Yikes.

Don’t you love all the wisteria, though? Doesn’t it feel like a secret magical garden the way it hangs low? Here are some more photos of it, if you’d like to see.

After a few hours of hacking and cutting and chopping, he came in sweaty and tired and with, I’m sure, a huge sense of relief and accomplishment. Here’s what it looks like back there now:

It’s so much more bare, but overall it’ll be better for everything with it this way, and knowing wisteria, it’ll be back soon enough.

And on the farm yesterday, we were even more productive. PJ mowed the 3 ft high grass while I moved cinderblocks from the yard at Holiday House and then we both tackled cleaning out parts of our storage building. It was a long day, and we were worn out by the end of it, but it felt so good to get things accomplished. There are plenty of days when I feel useless and like I haven’t done anything to be of benefit to anyone, but on the days when we’re working and checking things off our to-do list, those are the times when I feel like I am contributing the most to making my life, and the lives of those around me, better.

All of this reminded me of a quote by Tim Ferriss: “Focus on being productive instead of busy.”

Ain’t that’ the damn truth?

PS: Look out for a a day in the life vlog premiering tomorrow showing what all we got accomplished yesterday!