đWhy is it so hard to take a break? - Issue165
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Well having said that , let me ask you a simple question - Did you hear words like - âLeisure, freedom, exemption, free from duty,etc etcâ??.
Probably you will find that these are the words we associated with âvacation or leisure timeâ.
Vacation allows us to âthink freelyâ, be at leisure, or not to think about our work, or just for the time being answerable to noneâ.
From the Latin word âvacare,â it means âto be unoccupied.â
Contrary to what it means, I am rarely unoccupied. I actually find it a very difficult state to achieve.Â
Iâm an associative thinker, which means I usually have several lines of thought going at once. Iâm a parent to growing kids and have a constant responsibility towards personal and professional dimensions of their lives. Iâm a son and a husband and Iâll admit it, a worrier on both of these fronts, particularly as a son to keep my parents in a good health and spouse happy ( on a lighter note, a perpetual illusion all of us are happily chasing ). I do have my work and other interest in which likewise, it requires a great deal of attention and care. And not the least, I have my community, thats all of you.Â
So when I set out to take a âreal vacationâ this summer, I made an intention to reconnect with my sense of play. After all, play is the infinite testing ground for creativity. It allows us to safely take risks, learn new skills, and connect with ourselves and others.
My vacation took me on mountains and I had some fun time with close friends. But I found myself plagued by a sense of distance, not the kind that comes with traveling far from home, but the kind in which you feel distant from yourself. Even though my surroundings had changed, I was still occupied on multiple fronts.
What I have realised is - âNo matter where you go, vacation always comes with these choicesâ :-
Do you want to stay connected to the world and its realities? Or
Do you want to disconnect and simply be present where you are?
My mind was in between states, too. Iâd be lounging carefree and suddenly a jolt of worry would envelop me on some random thought. Fortunately, movement has always helped me to soak the present moments and realign my shifting perspective. So I decided to go on few adventure rides, did few local treks and tried new cafes located at remote places but often very scenic.
I have learned that when stress is all around us, rest and play can feel self-indulgent, but both are essential ingredients of our life force. I believe that staying connected to these life force prepares us to handle the very things we need a break from.
Letâs Turn the Lens on YouÂ
How do you unwind?Â
What has your culture taught you about taking a break? Is it judged or encouraged?
Do breaks carry intrinsic value to you or are they seen as a gap between two tasks?Â
Do you prefer to vacation solo, with friends or family, or with a group of strangers?Â
What is the best vacation youâve ever taken and why?Â
What have you learned about yourself from taking breaks?Â
What is the next vacation youâd love to take?Â
Take good care & enjoy reading this week's dose of âMindful Productivity & Cerebral Happinessâ.
Joe
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