One of my clients went back to work with a proposition that I really like: “No more rush!”
I really like the idea! I don’t know about you, but when I came back from vacation, my batteries were recharged, I felt strong and was in a good mood and had this sense of being calm and whole. Amazing what a few days or weeks of disconnecting and living with less structure and pressure and following your immediate wishes and impulses can do.
So then you’re back, and the routine starts, and with it the list of things to do and the sense of wanting to accomplish or finish things. And more often than not we go about it thinking “if I do it a little faster, I get done more”. And then at night we end up being stressed out and exhausted, and that sensation builds up.
So the idea of holding back some of the speed is so intriguing: When I catch myself trying to squeeze in some computer work when I am with my son, or jumping from task to task as I see all the things I could do, or trying to drive a little faster so I get somewhere earlier, or tensely planning ahead in my head … I take a deep breath and remind myself: Life is NOW. That all there is to enjoy is now. If I don’t enjoy what I am doing, if I am not fully here, I loose something.
So along with my client, I have taken the decision to live with the risk of not getting things done. Because it is more important to be calm, and to appreciate life. And you know what? I have not gotten done less! I manage all my responsibilities just the same way I did, but I feel calmer, and I get to maintain the calmness and peace my vacation gave me a little longer.
