When Less Becomes More
Life is full of questions. Some are simple, like what to eat for dinner, while others dig deeper and ask us what it means to live a meaningful life.
One question I've been reflecting on lately is this:
"To truly understand what we want in life (or perhaps, what life wants from us), do we need more free time?"
Let me share a bit of context.
When we work full-time—five days a week, eight hours a day—is there enough time to go silent and allow those deep, important thoughts to surface? Sure, we might fit in some meditation or quiet moments here and there. But can these short breaks really guide us toward the insights we’re searching for? Are 10 or 20 minutes of sitting by yourself quietly enough to access that deep inner space where answers might be waiting?
I doubt it.
Let me make it more personal. I work full-time and feel like I have only a handful of quiet moments throughout my day. I can’t say for certain that working less would open up that much-needed mental space—I’ve never worked fewer than five days a week since starting my career, so I honestly don’t know. It’s just a thought, a feeling.
This question has been on my mind for some time, and I wrote about it for myself earlier. There’s even an old draft waiting to be published. But the timing never felt quite right. A recent post by Robert gave me a poke to write about it again, as some sort of reflective exercise. In his post, Robert shares a quote:
"Sometimes, not wanting something is the best way to get it."
This quote seems parallel to my question. Just as letting go of what we want can bring what we seek, perhaps working less could reveal insights that only come to the surface when we create space for them. It’s like those moments of clarity that hit us in the shower or while on a quiet walk in nature.
For now, the answer to my question remains just out of reach. Sometimes, I feel like I can almost see it, hidden in the distance behind a bush. But then, a gust of wind sweeps it away, leaving me searching.
Maybe finding the answer indeed requires more silence, moments where the wind stays calm long enough for me to grasp it before it drifts away again. A pause in life’s eye of the storm, if only for a while.
Only the passing of time will tell.
Thanks for reading this post. I would love to start a discussion with you. We can do so via Mastodon or you could write me an email.