Maintenance versus making.

I haven’t made anything new in awhile and it doesn’t feel good. I’ve been looking after a family member who had surgery, so most of my time has been spent on doctor appointments, pharmacy runs, food prep, laundry, going to the gym, and making sure my middle-schooler is fed, getting her homework done, taking showers, wearing clean clothes, and getting to school on time.

Objectively I know that caring for the people I love in tangible ways is one of the best uses of my time and energy. Yet, I found myself telling a friend that I “lost the day” to the logistics of sustaining my family life. When I don’t make progress on creative projects, my internal judge decides it’s a less productive—and therefore less valuable—day, even if I’ve made a nutritious meal, shared a laugh with my kid, and lifted heavier weights at the gym.

This doesn’t make sense. Challenging beliefs like this is a major part of my personal productivity detox. The idea that building new things is more valuable than maintenance or care is some capitalist bullshit, and it’s worth deprogramming.