As we continue our ongoing, sporadic time management series, we’re chatting today with Maria Bowler, the author of Making Time: A New Vision for Crafting a Life Beyond Productivity, which came out January 21. In the book, Maria writes that we are a culture obsessed with productivity — but in Making Time, she argues that our to do lists are just a distraction. In our conversation today, we talk about what we’re distracting ourselves from; how we should act from our being rather than our doing; how important it is to tap into our creativity and that the opposite of productivity isn’t necessarily doing less, but being more creative; and so much more, including that we should make time rather than manage time. Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative, Maria asserts that there’s a place for you; we also discuss breaking out of the productivity cycle so many of us are trapped in, and I’m excited for you to hear the conversation. A little bit about Maria — she is a writer, coach, and retreat leader, a graduate of Yale, and a former magazine editor who has taught creative writing at the university level. Take a listen to our conversation.

Making Time: A New Vision for Crafting a Life Beyond Productivity by Maria Bowler