25 Comments
Nov 1, 2022Liked by Katie Hawkins-Gaar

I'm curious how your productivity changed after you had a baby, too. I find myself in a constant battle of meeting baby's needs + house chores + work responsibilities (We are balancing child care between my partner and I). In many ways, the baby's demand for me to slow down and pay attention to him has been so healing. In other ways, I still experience the pressure to "do" and feel myself resisting the pull to slow down. "But when will and how will the things get done if I don't do them??" I think. How do you balance it?

Expand full comment
Nov 1, 2022Liked by Katie Hawkins-Gaar

Reading this column today was a wonderful version of resting. It’s so easy for me to scroll through my emails for the “important“ ones and forget to go back to the ones that really matter. But this one hits me in the guts and I’m glad I read it first thing in the morning

Expand full comment
Nov 1, 2022Liked by Katie Hawkins-Gaar

Deeply relate to this. Thanks for reminding me what's up from down.

Expand full comment

Thank you for writing this. A month ago I was on the Camino del Norte a pilgrimage path in the north of Spain. For 3 weeks I was just walking, every day, meeting new people along the way, forming groups, it was a constant coming and going, arriving and leaving and it really showed me how this life literally is a path and it’s about timing and accepting that everything is constantly changing. Like you I love lists and crossing things off but it also limits intuition and gut decisions, something that felt so tangible on my hike. Since that I am trying to embrace that more. Your essay just reminded me of that. ❤️

Expand full comment
Nov 1, 2022Liked by Katie Hawkins-Gaar

Wow, hit me real hard. I read the book before, and yet here I am still trying to understand how to balance it all. Thank you for the reminder!

Expand full comment
Nov 1, 2022Liked by Katie Hawkins-Gaar

"Today is a good day to recognize how far I’ve come." Thank you. I really needed to hear that today.

Expand full comment
Nov 1, 2022Liked by Katie Hawkins-Gaar

I loved

Expand full comment

Thanks for post. I really enjoyed reading it. 💟

Expand full comment
Apr 25, 2023Liked by Katie Hawkins-Gaar

I need to finish this book (I borrowed it from the Libby app)! I love your take on it and life itself as someone who was recovering from productivity geek-dom haha.

Slowing down is HARD. I've devoured so many pieces and a course even on living in joy and pleasure now, and stop trying to seek it on weekends or in that never-quite-reachable "I'll be happy when..." moment.

Still working on it; it'll get drilled in my head someday and I'll actually live it (hopefully very, VERY soon!) but until then, it's wonderful to have essays like yours to remind me in such a meaningful and powerful way. <3

Expand full comment

Lovely Katie. I spoke to Burkeman around the time of the book launch, and got to ask him about the tensions between productivity and parenting

https://www.thenewfatherhood.org/p/on-productivity-and-parenting-a-discussion

May I suggest, as a follow up, Arthur C Brooks’ Strength to Strength? I just finished it over this strange week between Christmas and new year, and adored it. I think you may too.

Expand full comment
Nov 8, 2022Liked by Katie Hawkins-Gaar

As someone who loves lists and feels like I always need to be doing, producing, this is such an important reminder. Even weekends, which should be for rest, are the one time when I can work on my writing without feeling guilty. Thank you for the reminder.

Expand full comment

Very inspiring post Katie.

Expand full comment
Nov 2, 2022Liked by Katie Hawkins-Gaar

You did it again! Deeply relatable. Katie. Thank you!

Expand full comment