As a culture we work hard. Like over the top extremely hard. Based on a recent study Americans work 137 more hours per year than the Japanese, 260 more than the British, and 499 more than the French. That equates to more than 20 full days per year! Mediterranean work cultures like Italy, Greece, and Spain are probably a category of their own. This episode isn’t about all of sudden working less, but it is about giving yourself a break each week to give your body and mind the time it needs to reset. If I rest better, I work better.
The most common answer to the question “How are you?” is “Busy”.
90% of us check the phone first upon waking up.
37% of us take fewer than 7 days of vacation a year.
14% of us take more than 2 weeks a year.
20% of us stay in touch with the office while on vacation.
As we continue to work nonstop we actually put more stress on our minds and bodies and it impacts our ability to be creative and focused. Instead, based on a recent article, we should try to practice a weekly Sabbath. This has nothing to do with religion, but it is all about giving yourself a break from work every week for preferably 24 hours.
You may need a Sabbath practice if you…
- live a parallel life with your children
- feel uncomfortable being left alone with your thoughts
- laugh sarcastically at the term “passion project”
- have original ideas remain just that
- feel guilty when you do nothing
- wake up at night worrying about money
- haven’t had a date with your spouse in months
- have forgotten how wonder feels like
- have accepted anxiety as a constant
- sometimes feel like a slave while making a decent living
- desperately long for delight
When and how you celebrate is entirely up to you. Make sure spend it doing things that truly bring you joy.
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