Time is precious. We value the significance of time by striving to use it wisely in our lives. Sometimes we can translate that into wanting to be as productive as possible. We associate progress with doing.. with continually being in motion.
I admire productivity and productive people and have long aspired to use my time more effectively.
If you’re wondering whether a “but” is coming up..you’re right.
Progress also happens when we’re still, when we’re taking the time to connect with others, when we rest and build up depleted reserves and when we laugh and play and take time out of our days to make space for joy.
This is why I don’t think we should lose our ability to immerse ourselves in long hellos even in the middle of busy, productive days.
You know, the kind that happen when we see someone after a long time, do that double take and let out a long “hiiiii!!!” or “hellooo!..haven’t seen you in ages, how have you been?” Those times when we take the time to take a deep breath and truly connect.
Except, I don’t think we should only reserve those long hellos for infrequent meetings.
Why not burst into a long hello with someone you see frequently but haven’t actually stopped and asked about in awhile?
Why not ask the cashier at the grocery store how their day has been and take the time for a long hello while waiting at the counter..
Why not stop for a moment and instead of texting a terse response, respond with a “hi, how have you been?” or “how has your day been going?” and then proceed to answer the text in more detail.
Oddly, I think that longer hellos make for more productivity because we’re connecting in with our environment and the people around us and in turn becoming more present and aware of what is.
I truly think this can also make for better decisions because each positive interaction adds to our reserve of positive energy. An increase in connectedness can fill our days with a greater sense of accomplishment, more joy, and a sense of content and warmth.
Today’s motivational nudge is: Take the time this week to pause for the longer hellos..whether it’s on the phone, on text or email, in person or when interacting online. Touch base and genuinely ask about the person on the other end. Share how you’ve been doing as well.
On that note, how has your weekend been so far?
Have a great week!
apeacefultree.wordpress.com 
My weekend has been good thanks so far, how about you?
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I took the week off from blogging and am so glad I decided to shake that off :)..glad your weekend’s going well!
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My weekend has been awesome! My older daughter is home for the weekend, and we celebrated my Mum’s 90th birthday! How is your weekend going?
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Wow, a very happy 90th birthday to your mom – that is a big birthday! I am enjoying a slow Sunday, thanks for asking 🙂
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Longer hellos – I like it! Perhaps if we spend more time saying hello, we would spend less time saying good-bye. And I love your point, “I truly think this can also make for better decisions because each positive interaction adds to our reserve of positive energy. An increase in connectedness can fill our days with a greater sense of accomplishment, more joy, and a sense of content and warmth.” Yes!!
Hello, Peaceful Tree – thanks for making my week better by priming me to remember to say long hellos!
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Hi Wynne :)..thanks for stopping by and that is a thoughtful point about less time saying good-bye..very true, I think. Hope you’re having a good weekend.
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Hellooo to you 😁. These are beautiful thoughts that you share here, thank you for that. We had a good weekend – hanging out with friends who are moving to another town soon (although we won’t be seeing them often anymore, I can still send a long hellooo over the phone 😉). Hope you had a good weekend.
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Hellooo right back :)..hanging out with friends is always good. Phone calls aren’t the same but I think with FaceTime the distance doesn’t feel quite so much. Yes, enjoying the long weekend. Have a great week and thank you for taking the time to say hi!
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This past week and weekend I’ve made phone calls and received calls from people I haven’t talked to in a while. Your blog post reminded me of the long talks I had with friends this week and how I’m grateful for them.
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Those long talks make such a difference I think – glad you were able to get back in touch with friends. Hope your Sunday is going well. Have a great week 🙂
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So far it’s an idyllic day 👍🏼
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❤️
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