Professional Development: absorbing vs. creating
I’ve taken some time off recently from reading blogs (ironic, right?) and watching tv. And one thing that’s surprised me is how much my productivity has increased in other areas. I’m suddenly reading more, spending more time with people I value, getting things done I’ve been putting off, and creating more (like this here post).
But I’ve found there’s still the temptation to find other ways to fill the void. See – the two activities I limited are both activities where you absorb – or consume – info. Besides reading, most of the things I want to do are more about creating something or adding meaning to something in the world around me.
But those take energy. Creating can be tough. So it’s easy to slink back to Twitter and see what has changed – to check and see if there’s anything I need to respond to.
Sometimes that’s useful. But a lot of times it’s just procrastination to avoid the tough work of creating.
I think this tension between absorbing and creating has a huge role to play in our professional and personal development.
As someone with input as a top strength on tests like Gallup’s Strengthsfinder, I’m always reading a new blog post, picking up a new book, or scanning twitter for a new idea or connection. And that’s great. It’s who I am. But at some point, I have to remember to do something with that information, or it’s just a big waste of time.
Eventually, life has to become about creating.
To be fair, it can also work the other way. Some of us don’t take time to learn or grow and keep producing the same things over and over again. Or we become so empty we have nothing more to add – nothing left to give to the staff and students around us.
Absorbing a variety of quality information sources can fuel our process of creating – whether it’s planning a new program, coaching a student, or supporting a staff. And creating can actually teach us and grow us more than any type of absorbing alone. Have you ever noticed how many more connections you make when you’re forced to teach something? Or blog about it?
We need both, but it’s all about a balance.
So which one do you “major” in? How do you keep the balance?
