Successful Living > Real Life Lessons > You Deserve A Break!

Real Life Lessons

You Deserve A Break!
by CV Doner, PhD

Most of us work too hard. Some of us work two or three jobs. Many of us work sixty-hour plus weeks. The bad thing is that we work these weeks end to end without some much as a real rest. Result? At best, we go stale, at worst we simply burn out. Not only in our job and career, but also with family and friends. We may endanger our health, both mental and physical, in the process.

It's amazing that when God chose to give the ten most essential rules for life, he actually directed us to take a day off each week. (Within the Christian tradition, this is generally Sunday). This is to be a total day of rest and "recharging" of your batteries. It may be a day of sleeping, spending time with your family, or reading, meditating, reflecting, and thinking. Hopefully it is also a day spent praying and thanking God for all He has blessed you with, or better yet, going to a formal place of worship.

When we take a break, whether it's for one day or three, it allows us to get away and get a different perspective on our life.

I've kept my sanity by making sure I get away several days every couple of months to a peaceful location (for me it's my favorite un-crowded, picturesque beach). For me, this is a time for reading books that I know will challenge me or assist me in leading a more peaceful, balanced and successful life. It's a time for me to dive deeply into the Wisdom of the Ages by reading Proverbs, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes, and by reading authors reflecting on the themes found therein. It's time for me to think about my life (ambitions, goals, plans, projects, new ideas,) and key relationships and visualize how I want them to be. It's a time of rest, prayer and meditation.

The important thing about a break, no matter how long it is, is to "recharge yourself." People often go on vacations and maintain a frantic pace, which leaves them more exhausted then when they left. That's OK if you go in with the intention of prioritizing activity over rest. After several less than restful vacations, I figured out that there were two modes I could get into on a vacation. One was a lot of "go-go "activity, the other was just resting, reading and relaxing. Sometimes the two can be combined, but it is good to understand what your goal is. That way you don't disappoint yourself and think you are going to come back rested when you are really exhausted from all "the fun stuff" activity.

If you like to take more "active" vacations, find some time in the morning or evening to just reflect on yourself, your life, your dreams and changing. Talk to your spouse and children about what's really important to them.

No matter what, you still need to get away for that weekend break once a quarter to review you goals, read and mediate on some inspirational material, thank God for your many blessings (make a list) and think about where you want to go next. Often, as you quiet your mind in a beautiful place, you will find creative ideas just bubbling up, or you'll find the next "right step" just pops up into your mind. So, turn off the noise, tune into God's creation, and after priming yourself with a little reading from the Wisdom of the Ages, see "what comes up!"