Yesterday was a picturesque day.
As I headed to Tauranga for work I had my kids in the car who were destined for a stay at my parents house.
We had some ice on the car before we left home but as we progressed east most fields and roadsides were covered with a brilliant crisp white frost. The sun had yet to rise sufficiently above the Kaimai ranges to burn off the white ice and return the scene to lush green grass.
I had a reasons not to stop. Work, my mum was waiting, and it was cold.
But I stopped anyway.
Let the kids out of the car to stomp on the thick white frozen grass. The loved it, had ice on their shoes as they returned to the car and were invigorated by the fresh air. (just what my mum needed!)
In my journal this morning I rated the trip to Tauranga A1.
A1 A = Builds Energy; 1 = Very Productive
This week I have dedicated a couple of pages of my journal to tracking my days with the specific purpose of reviewing energy and productivity. In broad stokes I am giving activities ABC ratings for energy and 123 ratings for productivity.
I was thinking about why I would rate letting the kids out as very productive. After all it cost my 10 minutes and when compared to some other meetings I have had this week that I rate 3, unproductive, it is kind weird.
I realised that, for me, productivity is about production.
About producing.
But is not about producing something.
It is about producing me!
When I stop to let the kids stomp on white grass I am producing a father who values fun and living and adventure and the impromptu.
I produces a better me,
therefore
I am productive!
One of my earliest childhood memories is chasing my father around the lawn with my toy lawn mower. Not surprisingly this wore off in my teens when I was forced to actually mow the lawns with a crappy old lawn mower that you had to start with an electric drill.