More Time Equals More Productivity Is a big fat lie

You know what is a myth? “More Time Equals More Productivity”

Just this week I was working, glanced down, saw my painting overalls on the floor, and thought, You know what would be cool? Quilted legs.

 Next thing I know, I’m on the floor with sewing scissors, like this was always the plan.

Has this ever happened to you? You suddenly find yourself in a completely different room doing something wildly unrelated, thinking, How did I get here? That’s my life. I’m creative, I get ideas, and my brain insists I act on them immediately or risk losing my creative genius forever. The horror.

ADHD, Distraction, and the Gift of a Creative Brain

It’s my brain on ADHD, and honestly, I’m grateful for it. It’s given me creativity, imagination, and the ability to see connections everywhere. But lately, it’s also felt like a constant distraction, like I don’t know where to look, what to do, or how to be still. And I’m realizing distraction isn’t always a bad habit. Sometimes it’s a coping mechanism. One that keeps us busy enough to avoid boredom, discomfort, or sitting quietly at Jesus’ feet long enough to hear what He might actually say.

Snow Days and the Productivity Illusion

The last few weeks of snowmageddon taught me something I didn’t expect: more time does not equal more productivity. In fact, the opposite felt true. The more open space I had, the more I filled it with silly, sideways things. I’ve been more distracted with unlimited time than I ever am on a rigid schedule.

And it made me curious. What is it that we actually need? Definitely not more time, because more time, if you’re like me, leads to becoming a blob on the couch with snacks every thirty minutes, endlessly scrolling Netflix, and wondering why you feel restless instead of restored.

Why We Struggle With Rest and Stillness

Maybe the problem isn’t that we’re too busy. Maybe it’s that we don’t know how to hold a slow pace without distracting ourselves from it. Idle time exposes what’s underneath, and instead of sitting with it, we reach for our phones, another project, another snack, another idea. Anything to avoid being fully present.

Busy vs. Distracted

I keep thinking about Mary and Martha. Jesus comes to visit, Mary sits at His feet, and Martha is busy doing all the things. And honestly, I get Martha. Jesus is in the house. I’d be clanging pots too. I’d be annoyed with Mary. Help me, for crying out loud.

A Better Rhythm: Creativity, Rest, and Sitting at Jesus’ Feet

But Jesus doesn’t call Martha out for working. He calls her out for being distracted.

What if, instead of thinking we need more time, we considered that what we really need is a better rhythm? One that can hold both our creativity and our rest. One that doesn’t start with doing more, but doing less and sitting at Jesus’ feet first.