I have been on vacation for over a week now and I have been thinking a lot about my current life. Why? Mostly, because I am having a very hard time disconnecting from my work life and that's what vacation is supposed to be for, right?
I know I am a hard worker, dedicated to my job and I like it that way. But I never used to have this problem in its current magnitude. It got me thinking and mulling it over in my head. And it started with
Why can't I just write? Or paint, or draw?
Well, easy, silly, it's because your head is full of work-related stuff so there is no space for your creativity to do its thing.
That is very true. And I have had this problem on and off over the years but I was always able to get out of it. Normally, drawing and painting - all my creative endeavors are my counter to my stress (positive and negative) at work. Both of them keep me and my mental state in balance and keep running things kind of smoothly.
If one or the other takes over, and usually it is work, things go off kilter.
This latest downward spiral started for me over a year ago when my then-deputy went on family leave. Mind you, I'm in the US where you are lucky when you get three months of parental leave. He was lucky. I was not. Of course, I got someone else in but it is silly to think that new staff can pick up my deputy's work, yet, with the job market the way it was back then and still is, it was the best we could do.
My team and I survived those three months. There were a lot of things to catch up on once he was back so workloads did not decrease. It didn't help that the extra help we got took another job and left.
Then things took another downturn when my deputy got approached by a headhunter and was offered a job that he just couldn't refuse. Two steps up the ladder and the compensation to go with it, of course, he had to take it and I am happy for him.
For us or me, with just two weeks' notice (hello US!!), I started scrambling again to find someone to fill the gap.
That was in May. In June one of my team went on vacation and then early in August the next one went for three weeks (booked about a year ago) so we got further behind on our work. Finally, at the end of August, we found someone new. Unfortunately, she has very little experience in what we do and will need a lot of training. It seems like the job market should have improved but from my point of view, it has not. By that time, my team and I were on our last legs but hopeful, to get a grip on things once we trained our new team member. I do have a good team!
One and half months later and now I am on vacation. Since there wasn't time to train my new deputy adequately I am mostly on vacation i.e. early mornings I will check and reply to emails and then enjoy the day off. Seems reasonable enough but unfortunately, my brain doesn't think it is enough to switch on vacation mode. Hence, since our first day of vacation, I have been struggling to refuel my creative side.
Mostly, I have been taking walks along the beach or sitting on the deck overlooking and listening to the surf - doing nothing. Which got me thinking again.
Why can't I just be? And do nothing? Nothing at all?
What a novel thought. Do nothing at all and just laze about? What kind of a lazy bum am I?
Why aren't we allowed or why are we not allowing ourselves to not do anything?
When did our society get so very engulfed in everyone has to be doing something all the time, we have to be productive if we are not we... - I don't know - ... we are not worthy? Of living? Stupid!
I feel like it is time to slow down the pace. Slow down to be able to enjoy the things around us without feeling the need to be doing anything. It seems we're always in such a hurry to not miss all the (big) things, that we are failing to see the (small) things right in front of us.
I will be trying harder to look for these things that are right in front of my nose.
How about you? Do you feel you have to be productive all the time? Or do you stop once in a while and - just be?
Cheers,
(Ocean)Bee
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I think, we as a society feel this way. It’s so hard for us to just be. I’m trying and have become somewhat successful thanks to my bout with Covid in June. It hit me hard, even though I’m vaccinated and boosted and there was nothing for me to do but rest. And guess what, the world didn’t end and life went on. So now, I make it a point to be a sloth from time to time and always take some time to rest for a bit each day!
Convos as a whole woke up a lot of people, the world really, in a good and bad way. I’m happy you recovered and took something positive from it. Sometimes I feel it hard to believe that I still didn’t get it… it’s only a matter of tine though…
I’m also happy you followed me here ☺️ to comment. Did you have a look around. Are you going to stay and blog here? There is a WordPress plug-in (exxxp) that autoposts here and an awesome app for Hive called Ecency for posting on the go (using it right now).
Hive can be very confusing at first, so please let me know and we can chat.
I feel I have to be productive most of the time. I remember that if I don't take it easy from time to time - have some down time - I will burn out and not be worth anything. I find time every day to relax and "do nothing," meaning something I don't have to do or think about. Maybe it's reading a book or watching something on TV, or just having a chat with my husband or a friend.
That is a very healthy attitude. I am glad that you found a way to steal time for yourself from the ‘be productive time’ off the day.
It’s an ability that I have lost over the past couple of years. I’m all in at work, morning to evening and then I’m too dead to do anything, or nothing? I have to find a way remedy that otherwise I’ll burn out for real.
Are you going to participate in the November blog posting month?
I'm thinking about participating in the November blog posting. I did an April challenge, and was glad I did. However, I typically have more time in the spring than I do in the fall (my busy time). I've still got a week to decide!
@oceanbee
I could quote your words all day...
Just... be. Right? This was a wonderful post my friend. I do hope you are having a good day today, and that things lean towards the positive!
Love and light ✨
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Thank you so much for your kind words. Seeing the problems and fixing them are unfortunately two different things. I’ll have to work harder on the fixing but also slow down 😊
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Nice piece 👍 well for me, I feel the need to be productive at all time, if possible every seconds. Lol 😂
But there are times when I stop and just be me (relaxing, hanging out, watching movies, swimming) and just have fun all the way.
Sounds to me like you have found the right blend of it, that’s awesome! I’ll try and find it again as well.
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment.
You are most welcome
I haven't had a "real" vacation in a very, very long time. Most of my vacations include work. Because I can work from anywhere with wifi there is a beauty to still being able to keep all the plates spinning whether I am in the mountains or the beach or in my studio working.
There is also the fact that because I can work from anywhere I never actually get time off of work. Granted I work for myself. So you would think I could just call a time out and take the time away. Yet, as an entrepreneur there are ups, downs, and flat times in between. So work is always present.
I do like what I do and work only on projects I believe in so work is enjoyable. I'm not sure I would know how to take a real vacation anymore. You do bring up such a good point about doing nothing. The idea of doing nothing for an entire week seems lovely yet I'm also not sure I could. You've definitely given me something to ponder further.
Oh trust me, I totally get you. The ability that we can work from practically anywhere (with WiFi) is awesome and I wouldn’t want to miss it at all. I get that it is vital for you as an entrepreneur. But as you say you have up and down times. For me, over the past couple of years it has been full steam ahead all.the.time. I love when it’s busy, even stressful but when there is only stress all the time, no breather at all? Then even the breather I. e. vacation doesn’t bring me the relief i wanted. I will really have to work on mini breaks throughout the working day and week. And then, hopefully, a vacation will work it’s intended purpose again: to recharge the batteries fully.
Doing nothing or something you don’t need to do but only want to do for its enjoyments factor is IMO worthwhile implementing in your life. I hope you’ll find a way.
Thanks for stopping by 😻
Here's to making time to do nothing at all and enjoy it1 Cheers!
Thought provoking. I think many are driven for various reasons. Necessity. Guilt. Upbringing. Pressure. In my homesteading life the pressure to be busy is because lives literally depend on us. Animals. Some people. So vacation is something I do when I sleep. But then I also battle to switch off. Isn't it a funny thing that while your body may be on vacation your mind is in overdrive! Just when you get into the relax mode....it's time to go home! Hope you get some relax time. Hope the brain switches off a bit. Looks like a beautiful destination!
Necessity, being a homesteader I totally get, guilt, upbringing, pressure - those are the ones I am 'questioning'. Why do we feel guilt or pressure or were brought up this way? Don't get me wrong productivity in itself is a good thing IMO but - all the time?
I imagine homesteading to be both tough and rewarding in different ways. And vacation would be an absolute luxury to have once in a while. I do hope you'll be able to have a real, as opposed to 'sleep' :), vacation one day.
For me, it is now time to go home, leave my happy place the ocean & beach and go back to work on Monday. It wasn't a perfect vacation but I got to go to and spend time at my happy place. A time that I'll remember when stress hits again.
I hope things on the homestead are going well for you!!
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Thank you!Dear @oceanbee,May I ask you to review and support the new proposal (https://peakd.com/me/proposals/240) so I can continue to improve and maintain this service?
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