Some days just seem to fly by, and despite our best efforts at taking time for balancing work and play, balance can sometimes remain just beyond the sphere of reality. We see this imbalance in the lives of children who have increasing demands of study put upon them, and who must also work part-time in order to earn enough money for little luxuries or in preparation for the ever-increasing costs of post-secondary education.
Never before has the constant stream of demands on one's time been apparent than in today's world. In days of yore, management and owners worked long hours because they often were responsible for all levels of productivity, but these days it seems that you don't have to be earning the big bucks in order to be expected to accomplish the multitude of tasks required to keep up with the ever-increasing pace of life.
Whatever happened to sitting idly on the veranda on a summer afternoon, sipping your favorite libation and musing (seemingly in a dreamlike state) about the supply of tea in China? Well, a recent article published by Work Life Balance aims at helping those of us who seem at times to be caught in the torrential tide of the river that never stops flowing to step out of the stream from time to time. This is the 'secret' to maintaining equilibrium, and sanity especially when demands just seem to pile up.
Finding the islands that emerge from the stream, upon which we can rest if only for a moment before delving head-long into the raging river seems to be more a necessity than a choice in today's world. Faced with ever-increasing demands on time, the human soul needs time to unplug. For some of us, this might mean exploring a hobby, taking a walk, physical exercise, meditation or some other activity (or even the complete lack of activity as the case might be). The important thing is that we all need to recharge from time to time, hopefully before the gas tank is completely empty.
What are the islands in the stream, upon which you can rest, bask in the sun and recharge? Who are the lifeguards who stand on the shore reaching out to help especially when we are most in need of a break. At times it takes someone else to stop us, to point out the fact that we're floating uncontrollably down the river, and to catch us before it's too late.
Many mystics and wise persons throughout the history of humanity have realized the necessity for balance in life. From the Zen practice of meditation to the discipline of Christian monasticism the secret to success has always been balance, and if we can maintain balance in all that we do, living life will truly be an adventure to behold.
1 comment:
One of the ways for me to recharge is to schedule my social activities in with "appointments". When I meet my girlfriends for supper out, we don't leave the table until the next date is written on our calendar. With other friends we scheduled in one night a week to play bridge only...pizza for supper instead of anyone cooking. Other nights are for the parties etc. When these are scheduled and therefore having to always think "we need to organize a night for such and such"is stressful and just another thing on our long list of things that should be done. Scheduling times to relax needs to be a priority just as much as scheduling medical or dental checkups. And for the same reason...your health.
Post a Comment