Why You’re Not as Productive in Winter

In the natural world, winter is a season of dormancy and hibernation. Our bodies slow down and the grind starts to look less appealing than it did a few months ago.

Cue the Sleepytime Tea Bear — he gets it.

It’s really hard to slow down any time of the year, but especially at the end when you’ve got EOY reports, holiday parties, and gifts you have to track down that were already marked as delivered.

Katherine May’s 2020 book Wintering: the Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times introduced the idea that it might be necessary and fulfilling to embrace the long and early darkness and the natural inclination to go inward.

Even if just for the disorienting week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, wintering becomes a way for us to mentally shift out of one context to prepare our energy for what comes next.

When you fully embrace this period of downtime, your creativity and productivity benefit in the long run.

By allowing yourself to pause, recharge, and delve into quieter pursuits like reading, journaling, or adding a few rows to the the scarf you started knitting last holiday, you invite new ideas and creative connections in.

This something you can’t really force, you have to allow.

Rather than viewing this period as unproductive, think of it a chance to replenish the mental space you need and gather fresh inspo from the world around you — these are crucial elements of the creative process and shouldn’t be skipped!

It's a valuable reminder that productivity isn’t always about constant output but also about understanding the ebb and flow of getting things done, embracing cycles of rest and activity, and respecting the natural rhythm of creativity.

After all, you are not meant to be blooming all year long.