I am finding myself in the midst of a summer slump (complimentary). It’s somehow already August, and therefore the last month of summer. I know it doesn’t officially end until September, but once school is back in session, summer is over. This is a fact.

To quote Kim Kardashian, I simply “do not want to work.” This summer I am leaning out.

Normally this kind of ambivalence toward economic work would make me so anxious I would likely just push through and work even harder. The difference this summer is that instead of trying to overcome this malaise towards work, I’m accepting it. I’m listening to my body and mind. The resistance is the message, and it’s loud and clear.

Here’s what I’ve done instead. Read countless books. Went to Rhode Island and didn’t open my computer for an entire week. Deep cleaned my fridge (I’m sorry this is satisfying to me 😂). Hosted dinner parties. Took naps in the afternoon (since when do I nap?!). Went on walks and hikes with friends. Spent 20 minutes almost everyday writing my novel. Took outdoor showers. Spent undistracted time with family. Went blueberry picking. Swam in rivers and oceans and pools. Stood in my garden admiring our flowers, fruits and vegetables, listening to the hum of bees enjoying coneflower and Russian sage. Let ideas and inspiration flow through me without feeling the need to immediately act upon any of them.

Fall will be here soon enough and with it, I suspect a fresh energy for productivity and putting ideas into action. Brisk mornings and cool evenings have already arrived here in Vermont. For now, I’m enjoying the opportunity to spend a few more weeks leaning into being “unproductive.” I hope, if you haven’t already, you give yourself permission to do the same. Your heart and soul will thank you.