I'm sitting in my office looking outside at a BEAUTIFUL day. I have work to do. I have hours to go before I sleep and yet... all I can think about is playing hooky. In most circles (in my employer's for example) taking a day off of work to do, well, nothing really except have fun is frowned upon. I challenge this thought process for the following reason: I believe happy employees make for productive employees and a day off of work just to chillax (otherwise known as a "mental day off") may improve employee attitude and therefore productivity.
Now my opinion should not be translated to mean that people should take a weekly or even monthly day to veg, and it should not be interpreted to mean that if you have something important to do you should blow that off, rather, my thesis for this blog is that if you can take a day to yourself every once in a while, to recharge without throwing everyone around you into a tizzy, you should do it. I think today's parents and workers are in such a go-go-go mode all of the time that we forget to take time for ourselves. The thought that we might need time to do something for our own benefit, that selfish thought, is frowned upon. We think we need to be focused on what we can do for others- what our kids need or our spouse or our boss needs- and those thoughts take precedence in our minds. The idea that we have so much to change in our lives, that we should focus on what we don't have and need to acquire, that we are in need of anything more than what we have today, steers our lives.
This idea of focusing on what we lack and what we can do to serve others can drain us. We are drained of our energy and our positivity and our "joie de vivre". The idea that we are going to take a day to reconnect with our own internal voice, to take time to remember what it is we love about ourselves and our lives, to appreciate what today has to offer, may not be the norm in our lives, but I think we should appreciate that this action, this time for ourselves, is critical.
In order to be the best in our lives and for each other, we must first be best for ourselves. Yes, this is defined as being "selfish" but maybe it's time we stopped thinking of that word negatively. Maybe it's time we started realizing that without making our lives a priority in our lives, we cannot do anything for others in their lives. Putting others before yourself serves no one's best interest. Focusing on making our own lives better raises the quality of our interaction with others. The better we individually do, the better we collectively can do. So take some time for yourself today or this week or this month. Take some time to be quiet and loving to no one else but yourself. Take some time to reconnect with what you love in your life and about yourself. Take time to appreciate all that you are and all that you have to give and all that you have around you. Your life and your spirit and your love deserve your attention, because, after all, this is your life.
- a
Now my opinion should not be translated to mean that people should take a weekly or even monthly day to veg, and it should not be interpreted to mean that if you have something important to do you should blow that off, rather, my thesis for this blog is that if you can take a day to yourself every once in a while, to recharge without throwing everyone around you into a tizzy, you should do it. I think today's parents and workers are in such a go-go-go mode all of the time that we forget to take time for ourselves. The thought that we might need time to do something for our own benefit, that selfish thought, is frowned upon. We think we need to be focused on what we can do for others- what our kids need or our spouse or our boss needs- and those thoughts take precedence in our minds. The idea that we have so much to change in our lives, that we should focus on what we don't have and need to acquire, that we are in need of anything more than what we have today, steers our lives.
This idea of focusing on what we lack and what we can do to serve others can drain us. We are drained of our energy and our positivity and our "joie de vivre". The idea that we are going to take a day to reconnect with our own internal voice, to take time to remember what it is we love about ourselves and our lives, to appreciate what today has to offer, may not be the norm in our lives, but I think we should appreciate that this action, this time for ourselves, is critical.
In order to be the best in our lives and for each other, we must first be best for ourselves. Yes, this is defined as being "selfish" but maybe it's time we stopped thinking of that word negatively. Maybe it's time we started realizing that without making our lives a priority in our lives, we cannot do anything for others in their lives. Putting others before yourself serves no one's best interest. Focusing on making our own lives better raises the quality of our interaction with others. The better we individually do, the better we collectively can do. So take some time for yourself today or this week or this month. Take some time to be quiet and loving to no one else but yourself. Take some time to reconnect with what you love in your life and about yourself. Take time to appreciate all that you are and all that you have to give and all that you have around you. Your life and your spirit and your love deserve your attention, because, after all, this is your life.
- a
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