Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Day 14 Challenge - Taking Time Out


Like a lot of people I know, I have a tendency to rush, (think St Vitus' Dance). I believe that if we keep rushing, we tend to live on the surface instead of going underneath and deep! Having reflected on that fact, today I challenge myself to take some time out regularly to just rest, sit and be still, and to do things that are relaxing.

“We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we’ve established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to our sleep.”
~Earl Nightingale

After some brainstorming, the followings are a list of the things I will take time out to start doing on a regular basis:

* nice relaxing dinner
* go to movies
* take photos
* write and read
* look at the sunset
* smell the flowers
* listen to music and sing songs
* walk along the beach & parks
* observe people :)


Will you join me in taking time out regularly to relax and regroup?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great idea and reminder.

Unknown said...

Another idea take time to think especially when chatting on such like, it gives your discussion partner a chance to reply sometimes LOL

Pia said...

that's my goal for this two-weeks self imposed vacation i will be having starting next week... RELAX. i needed that very much.

NowInMelb said...

Taking time to relax is vital, though just doing something different may be as good: a physically demanding job balanced by time to sit and read, a sedentary job by something physical.

I was given some really good advice 20 years ago: a friend of mine observed that I was working all hours (working for myself you can) in a desperate attempt to stay solvent and this was actually counter productive.
"If you just decide that each week you'll try and take time out", she said, "then nearly every week there will be a good reason not to. What you need to do is to find something that *forces* you to take a break from work".

It was good advice, and following it I signed up as a PT student to do my second degree. It was hard to make the time, but what I needed to do. I got the degree and my business came good. After that I helped then ran Beaver (Joey) Scouts for 13 years - I'm sure that the result was that I achieved more in the x-3 hours I worked each week than had I worked x.

For other people their time out may be something different, a regular date night with your spouse or setting aside time for your children. If no one else is making you set aside the time then you need to do so.

Kitty said...

@Brian, I think it's a great idea to take time to think.... can you elaborate a bit what you mean by that? :) x

Kitty said...

@Pia, It's great that you get a two-week vacation. Enjoy your RELAXED & CHILLED time my dear friend! Looking forward to your sharing after the two weeks. xxx

Kitty said...

Hi "NowInMelb"

Such a great idea to do something physical and different to balance time to just sit and read. I should engage in that too!!

What do you suggest we do to find something that *forces* you to take a break from work"? Perhaps I'll ask my husband to do that job! xxx

NowInMelb said...

Kitty, I think my friend had me summed up when she said *I* needed something that *forced* me stop working for a couple of hours. Those who have a bit more willpower than I had or who are better organised wouldn't need this.

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