I'm out of the office until Nov. 20. (But I will keep blogging.)
Being self-employed, I've always had a hard time taking time away. Just last week, I took a day and a half off, but then it occured to me that I'd taken 2.5 days of vacation since last Christmas. And that's just enough to feel the fatigue.
I've been working for this company of mine for 35 years. Probably if some wiser boss were in charge, I'd have weeks and weeks of vacation each year. Not just hours and hours.
In my work with other writers, I regularly talk about the importance of time away from work. And then ignore my own advice.
So here I go: away from my desk, with no speaking engagement or assignment. It's surprisingly scary. I'll steady myself by keeping on with the daily blogging.
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5 comments:
Go you! That sounds like a wonderful plan! May your holiday be brilliant!
I finally realized that I can add your blog to my iGoogle page. Yay! Now I never have to miss a thing!
Peggy, this is wonderful news! If there is one thing that I have learned since I became chronically ill, it is that we must honor playtime as much as we do work time. My husband and I have taken our family on many short vacations over the years, but I had never been away by myself for more than two days at a time. My trip to Rancho La Puerta last May was a huge leap forward for me, because it was the first time that I had taken a real holiday from my work as a stay-at-home mom. Even my husband and I had never left our girls for more than a weekend, here and there. When I met you, down at RLP, I was embarking on a new phase of my life, and it was a little scary. At first, I felt like I was totally out of my own element, being in another country, without my husband and my girls by my side. After I got my bearings, I really relaxed and paid attention to what my needs were, without having the distractions of fulfilling someone else's desires first.
I would imagine that this is kind of the same thing that you will experience during your time away from work. At first, you will be tempted to check in or to do something work-related, but after a while, you will remember to check in with yourself. It is scary, Peggy. We forget what it is like to spend time just being ourselves, but I think that you will relax into it nicely, after you get over the initial guilt and lack of responsibility.
I cannot wait to hear about how this experience turns out for you. I think that you will come out of it with a more relaxed and refreshed view on things. Enjoy YOUR time, and good for you for honoring your need to take a break.(I am glad that you will be keeping up with the blogging,though. I enjoy the way that you stimulate me to think about things in a different say, and I would truly miss that.)
We (collectively) seem to treat ourselves like machines. Even machine parts suffer from fatigue and need repair or replacement.
Some of our physical parts can be repaired or replaced, but intangibles like spirit and mind are harder to fix. Regular tune-ups in whatever ways revive and rejuvenate are essential. (Do as I say...)
I find that it takes me 3 days to de-kink from regular life before I can fully relax and begin recharging. Being in nature is my favorite way to do this.
How great of you to know what you need. Way to go, Peggy!
Thanks for all this wonderful encouragement (I'm also glad to be on your page, Kelley) One and three-quarters days into my vacation and I'm already refreshed. Two weeks make bring miracles.
(Debra, I'd never have guessed that you weren't perfectly at ease and business as usual at Rancho La Puerta.)
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