I’m incredibly busy right now. Classes, the last stages of editing of a book I’m co-authoring with two other women on women, law and religions, marketing relating to the meditation book, preparation for upcoming retreats and other talks I’m giving, trying to finish the conversion book so I can send it out to potential publishers, etc. I alternate between feeling like I have it all under control and feeling like I’m about to drop some of the balls I’m juggling.
When this is the state of my life – which is actually pretty often (well OK – it’s actually most of the time), it is easy for me to fall into a mode where I forget everything other than work. It takes effort not to fall into the trap of thinking I can just muscle in more and more hours of work into each day without a break – effort not to view the weekend as just more time to get in more work.
I decided to be very intentional about avoiding that this weekend. We had our friends Dave and Jean over for dinner to celebrate our friend’s birthday. Dave and I spend a good part of today doing a nine mile hike. (I could talk tons about that, but some of my readers are doubtless tired of hearing me wax on about the beauty of fall hiking.) Tomorrow night we’ll go out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary. It is true that I’ll do some work this evening and that Mark Osler and I have a talk to give tomorrow morning. But the time away from work is important for my health, my marriage and my happiness.
So no matter how busy you are, make sure you are taking some time to be with friend, be with nature. Do whatever it is that recharges you. Make sure your answer to every suggestion of”fun” time is not “I’m too busy.” It is way to easy a habit to fall into.
Creo en Dios! 