I just recognized something about myself that I need to work on…

It’s the weekend and although I’m not “working” per se (writing for a client or myself–although here I sit, writing this blog!), I still feel led to produce something. It seems I just can’t get rid of what has been labeled the “Protestant Work Ethic”.

I recognized the same tendency in my sister Jackie years ago and have always tried to get her to give herself a freaking break–as hard as she works all week as a bank manager for two branches–but now I realize that I have the same damnable condition–and it borders on a malady, as busy as we always are in our own ways.  I can’t just relax and watch a movie or take an afternoon nap without my brain prompting my nervous system to produce something: e.g., ride my stationery bike while I watch the movie!  If I take a nap, or sleep “too long” in the morning (even if I work ’til two a.m.), I have nightmares about being late for work or some other catastrophe having to do with some form of negligence.

Although a robust work ethic is fabulous for keeping the ball rolling and getting things done, it can really make one’s “down time” feel more like a bumble than a blessing. And that’s just plain wrong! I’m tired of having my habitual brain driving me to distraction when I’m trying to “veg”.  All creatures require down time.  Deer, cougars, elk, wolves and bison all take breaks to rest, digest, and recover from their adventures. Rest and recovery are part of a healthy work-life balance whether you’re a human, a hen or Hercules!

I’ve just finished reading a book about mindfulness and retraining the brain to operate in the immediate here and now rather than revisiting old memories or anticipating new challenges and opportunities down the road.  Reading the book has been a timely reminder to truly slow down on the weekends and in the early morning and evening so I can deescalate and establish a baseline way of being that isn’t so freaking frantic.  (Frantic is the wrong word–I’m not frantic at base–but I can’t find the one right now that means something similar but isn’t as dramatic or catastrophic-sounding. And because this is the weekend and I learned so much from reading the book, I’m not even going to pursue finding the right word–today is my day off!–so there you go!)

If you have the same tendency, maybe it’s a good thing for you to find ways to overcome it so you can enjoy life more without feeling you’re a card-carrying fraud.  A robust work ethic is commendable, but when it makes your down time feel fraudulent, something is wrong and needs to be addressed, in my opinion!