"Life is a garden, not a road. We enter and exit through the same gate. Wandering, where we go matters less than what we notice."

- Bokonon (from Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut) Photo by Ignacio Correia on Unsplash

Kurt Vonnagut's quote gets to the meaning of what our lives are about. Not just nose-down and the everlasting lists and do-dos. But when life is more like a garden, rather than path, our time should be focused on not only the essentials of water, sunlight and soil, but also about the gorgeous sights, wonderful aromas, and beauty that delights us.

Our lives are akin to a garden that we tend, with competing priorities and tasks resembling vines vying for the limited resources of our time and energy, much like seedlings competing for sunlight and water. However, not all procrastination is a mere waste of time; it may be a meaningful signal, indicating our resistance to growth or a need to re-evaluate our approach and delve deeper into the roots of this behavior. When we perceive our lives as a garden, we can begin to view our time and energy as tools to nurture and cultivate our endeavors, allowing us to prioritize and allocate these resources effectively. When we think of our lives as a garden we're tending it. Let's start to look at both our time and energy as tools to:

• Prune away commitments that no longer serve you, creating space for what really matters to grow.
• Spring's a fresh start - re-prioritize what aligns with your deepest goals and values. That renewed focus helps overcome procrastination.
• Follow natures' cycles and allow yourself to recharge through rest periods, just like managing demands allows self-care to refuel your growth.
• Change is inevitable for blossoming, so embrace reassessing habits/routines when procrastination or overwhelming priorities hit. It leads to personal rebirth.

We each feel the rub of scheduling downtime, which can feel unproductive, but experienced gardeners know letting soil rejuvenate sets the stage for maximum future yields. Our lives need that too - focused work rhythms combined with deliberate rest cycles.

Learning to reframe your productivity from just output to responsible self-replenishment and knowing that nurturing periods aren't lazy are key to some of your most vibrant, sustainable growth. It's all about that deep understanding that rejuvenation and regrowth are built into the gardener's mindset. How about you? Can you intentionally prune, re-prioritize yourself, refuel your self-care, and bloom with fresh changes?

Looking to lift your eyes off the road and enjoy your garden a little more? I offer a monthly Time Grip Mastermind that addresses competing demands to help you better understand your productivity without gimmicks and hacks. Join my list for notifications on the next offer HERE or jot a note in my contact form below. Join my list to get notifications on the next offer HERE or jot a note in my contact form below.

DeShawn Wert teaches intelligent, motivated professional moms how to get stuff done so they CAN relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor! Let's explore how you do your best work together. An Ericson-trained life coach and JTS Coaching-trained ADHD coach, DeShawn is a member of good standing in the ADHD Coaches Organization. She's contributed to several books on living with ADHD, including Dr. Dale Archer's book, The ADHD Advantage, and Laurie Dupar's series called More Ways to Succeed with ADHD.