When was the last time you “played hooky”?

I'm back from vacation this week, and I'm practicing the art of Slow Productivity to ease back in rather than throwing myself straight into the deep end. 

You may recall me writing about the principles of slow productivity before: do fewer things, work at a natural pace, and obsess over quality. Six months into the year, those principles still resonate as deeply as they did when I first read about them in January. 

That brings me to something I've been embracing more and more, the joy of "playing hooky."

Playing hooky is doing something fun or relaxing that isn't work-related, right in the middle of the hours when you're "supposed" to be working. 

Today, that's me. I'm playing a little hooky to feed my World Cup fever, watching England face off against Argentina in the semi-finals. I even challenged myself to check out the game at a spot I've never been to before.

When I play hooky, something shifts. The monotony breaks and my creativity wakes up.

I believe deeply in planning and structure, but going off script has its own power. 

There's science behind this too. Research on play shows that unstructured activity helps regulate the nervous system and lower stress. New environments stimulate dopamine, which enhances curiosity and flexible thinking, and stepping away from routine improves insight and problem-solving. In other words, deliberately deviating from your schedule isn't indulgent. It's intelligent.

This isn't about adding more to your full life. It's about inserting one small interruption into your workday, whether that's fifteen minutes, a short outing or a whole day.

This week, choose one moment during your workday to "play hooky". Notice what you experience and let me know what you discover!

Of course, this message is about much more than playing hooky. It's about leading your life with intention instead of defaulting to busyness. That's exactly what we do inside Everyday Yellow Leadership.

If you're a trailblazing woman of color 50+ who is ready to create more joy, alignment, and intention in your life and leadership, I'd love to invite you to explore Everyday Yellow Leadership.

Over 14 weeks, you'll meet with a community of remarkable women to reimagine what's possible, align your life with your values, and build sustainable practices that support both your ambition and your well-being.

If that resonates with you, I'd love to speak with you. Click HERE to schedule a discovery call, and let's explore whether Everyday Yellow Leadership is the right fit for the season of your life.