September Equinox 2014
Day 1: Balancing Work & Play
Let’s skip the cliches — it’s pretty obvious that there are consequences when work and play are out of balance. When we work too hard, we’re too exhausted to tend our hobbies and passions. When we goof off too much, our work quality decreases. Think about your work (outside the home, inside the home, for an employer, for yourself). Think about what things you love to do for play (reading, cooking, watching a program, fun family activities). Are you devoting enough time for both? How can you better balance your work and play?
I’m not going to lie — I just groaned as I sat down to write my own response. My work-life balance is so far out of whack these days that it’s all I can manage to get out of bed in the morning, drift through my day, and climb back into the safety of my bed. I have zero energy for anything that isn’t urgent. I don’t read my books anymore. I don’t sit down and write for the sake of writing. I’ve lost touch with my gratitude practice. I don’t journal regularly anymore. Cooking has become a chore. I can’t have fun because I’m too busy playing catch up with whatever chores I’ve neglected. Time with friends? Nope! No time for that!
It was when Kat and I were discussing her August Moon 14 series that I realized I needed to stop neglecting my need to live a life worth loving. Drawing on some inspiration from her timing, I decided to focus on the equinox — the ideal time to think about balancing. And as each of her luscious prompts landed in my inbox, I knew more that I had to stop drifting through my days on auto-pilot, barely eking out enough energy to accomplish the most pressing tasks while ignoring the rest. I had succumbed fully to the demons of depression. I’m still attempting to recover, given that my life was obliterated last year. As each health test comes back “picture perfect,” I’ve begun to realize that the problem isn’t particularly a physical ailment of a vital organ — it’s a deeper issue that really doesn’t have a set “cure.”
So thinking about how my days are spent mostly on working, whether it be on the clock or off, I think it’s high time I start scheduling time to play. I need time to enjoy myself. Whatever happened to my “Operation Summer Vacation”? Or my “cultivating a life worth loving” project? Today we start autumn, meaning crisper weather’s on its way. We’ll be opening windows, eating apples, and getting ready for two birthdays and Halloween. It’s time to relax and have fun. I’m going to stop being such a zombie and start living again.
Don’t forget to share your responses by commenting on the blog or using the hashtag #SeptemberEquinox14.
I didn’t know what this was until today, usually I just stream through facebook making sure no one is hurt or dead and move on to something else. What you posted today made me go back and check it out. So here I am, thinking that this is exactly what I need. The past 3 weeks or so have been insane for me; friends showing up at all times, part time job turning into full time, school work getting harder, house is dirtier and sleep is less and less.
I haven’t been able to enjoy my friends because I wake up angry and stressed which turn to depression and anxiety once I get to work. I have a poetry site where I used to write two or three poems a day, the past month I haven’t wrote a word. Yesterday I had an unexpected half day at work which was very appreciated but when I got home, I just sat here because I couldn’t figure out how to enjoy my time.
What happens when you finally do it all? I’ve been asking myself that today, what do I do when I have done everything on “the list”? I need to find my happiness again. I want to care less about work and more about being happy.
I’m so glad my quest for happiness is helping you, too! =)