Saturday, January 21, 2006

So much to do, so little time

Are you in a race against the clock?

Earlier this week, we talked about the dangers of being too devoted to your job - about giving your heart and soul to your work, only to be betrayed.

In an unrelated conversation, a blogging friend recently shared that sometimes she enjoys a "temporary escape from this 'illusion' of a world where we need, and are inclined, to glance at our wristwatches; where our minds automatically 'calibrate' to 'today is,' 'my name is,' 'I have to do this,' somewhere between sleep and consciousness, or surfacing thereabouts somewhere near consciousness from sleep."

Do you enjoy life in the fast lane - being "on" all the time? Or do you prefer a quieter existence, longing for days when you can lounge uninterrupted on a deserted beach? Is the clock your friend or your enemy?

Tags: , , ,

9 comments:

Cecilia said...

Do you know that on Sundays I actually do get headaches and feel unwell? And this is because I get to slow down and have some more time for myself. It's a shock to my "always on the go" system.

But still...I would love to have more time now to do other things...and to simply just be quiet. :)

Thank you for the link, my friend. It is an honor to be quoted here.

Deb Sistrunk Nelson said...

Cecilia: A friend told me a long time ago that I cannot handled unstructured time (like weekends). As I thought about it, I concluded that my friend is right. I'm so used to being on the go, it's hard to turn myself "off." But I'm working on it, just as you are.

Perhaps we should take Kayla's suggestion (under another post) and all move to France, where the pace is a little slower and the work weeks are shorter.

Nth Dimension said...

I am not sure if what I am going to say is sensible at all, and I don't mean to sound preachy or superior... yet here is my two-cents.

I find that trying to put everything I do into a perspective of a larger goal actually helps move between the "go" and the "off" states with relative ease.

The only little problem - I can sometimes get into the off state on a Wednesday or still be on the on state on saturday.

Deb Sistrunk Nelson said...

Nth Dimension: Excellent advice. Thanks!

Alina said...

For me this is a little weired. i don't like the solitude of certain landscapes for too long, I don't want to be alone that much and not surrounded by lots of people. I love crowded places, huge cities, lot's of people to bump in, lots of people to meet, work with, talk to, always doing something...The two days off every week are enough to catch with the time I need for me...I enjoy a few hours reading a book in a corner of my choice, no music, no phone calls, but just a few hours. I also enjoy a walk on my own and even shopping on my own (when I am looking for books, even better!).
Hollidays in exotic places where not that many what to see are ok, as long as I connect them with the sense of adventure or discovery...Sometimes I think I am a way to social animal...

Alina said...

I was trying to say where not that many want to go...:)

Deb Sistrunk Nelson said...

Kayla: I can understand what you are saying. My typical day is spent around a lot of people. I field seemingly endless phone calls and email correspondence. For this reason, I enjoy a bit of solitude at the end of the day. It sounds as if you have a very balanced life. Good for you!

Emmanuel said...

The whole week is just a blip. And even the weekend is half way gone, but the time I realize it's there.

Deb Sistrunk Nelson said...

Emmanuel: I've had the same experience!