By Sarah Auda Jaggard
Forty seven emails in my inbox.
Three voicemails are waiting.
Laundry needs to be done.
Dog needs to be walked.
My cell phone starts buzzing and it's only 7 a.m.
I'm wondering when a break will come.
I'll admit I live in a world where I often times don't know when my next weekend, break, vacation, or getaway is. I find myself up to my ears with responsibilities and demands.
Last week I received 26 emails—none of them were spam—all within 1 hour while I was in a meeting. Thanks to my blackberry, I was able to feel every buzz as it registered in my inbox. Each buzz brought me anxiety, knowing more work was waiting for me as soon as my meeting ended. I wasn't going to get a weekend, either, because of a 3-day conference for work.
Is there no end?
Sometimes, I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel. I see piles of work and return emails and calls to make. My to-do list seems endless and my blackberry keeps buzzing. Sometimes I feel like I'm pulled in a million directions at once.
In college I read a book that discussed the affect of modern technology on humans and overall health. It gave statistics about how humans are more stressed and have worry-disease because with the help of electronics we take in far more information per day than we are created to. Electronics increase our stress level which harms our quality of life. I can just imagine the lack of stress when people didn't have TV, billboards, smart phones, and email accounts that demanded their attention every few minutes. Daily, we are bombarded with literally thousands of messages. That means our minds rarely get a break.
We all needs breaks, though.
My favorite kind of break is going to a day spa. My first spa experience was a couple years ago.
The first spa I went to was mostly outdoors on a beautiful mountainside. Spa attendants brought me drinks, gave me fresh towels, and made sure my needs were taken care of. It was nothing short of Heaven on Earth! It was one of the most relaxing days of my life. I even forgot I lived in the middle of a buzzing city. I had been transported into paradise!
However, I was walking around the spa grounds in a peaceful state of being when I suddenly couldn't help but hear a woman talking loudly. (At a spa, talking loudly is kind of against the rules so it caught my attention.) Slightly offended that my relaxation had been interrupted, I looked over at her. I was shocked to see the woman was talking on her phone and had her entire beach chair covered in files, papers, and receipts. She had brought her office to the day spa and was barking orders to her administrative assistant while sunbathing!
Though I don't have the workaholic tendencies the woman at the spa exhibited, sometimes I do have trouble taking time for myself and unplugging, even mentally getting away. It's hard to disconnect from the demands of my life and focus on being rejuvenated and renewed. And I can't go to the spa every day—though I wish I could!
During my MA program, I learned about the concept of creating "getaways" for myself daily. I found that building in space and time to relax was motivating for me to work hard and "relax hard" in return. I helps me remember who I am because I have time for me.
The idea of a daily getaway was near life-altering for me. It never occurred to me to do something once a day simply because I enjoyed it and it rejuvenated me. It doesn't need to be large chuck of time, maybe 30 minutes of doing something I enjoy simply because I enjoy it. For instance, my daily getaway is drinking peppermint tea and reading something just for fun (not work reading—that's cheating!). Some days, it's catching up on my favorite TV sitcom.
It may sound silly but it brought a new level of energy and health to my life because I set aside time for me to do something just because! For 30 minutes a day I take my focus off of working or my to-do list and give myself a break.
I think daily getaways can help us become healthier people. It helps me reflect more, make time for myself, and take a break from life just for even a few minutes. The best part is that it looks different for every individual! My sister-in-law's getaway is writing once a day during her son's nap time. My friend June's getaway is sitting outside and praying while watching the neighborhood squirrels run around. My husband's getaway is reading a book. My dad's is cooking one meal each day.
What is your idea of a daily getaway?
A daily "getaway" doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate or even planned out, just set the time aside and figure it out along the way. I own my moments of getting away and relaxation!
Oh, and when I do have the opportunity to go to a day spa, I'm sure to leave my work at home.
To discuss this article, visit our blog, Fresh Brew.
______________________________________________________________________
Sarah is a leader and one of the communicators at Mosaic, Westside. She is also a professor of Communication at Biola University in La Mirada, California. She has been able to travel all over the U.S., Canada, and abroad to train people in leadership skills, strengths, and team development. Her and her husband, Jason, reside in downtown Los Angeles where they play, work, and enjoy life!
______________________________________________________________________
Copyright © 2009 Sarah Auda Jaggard. All rights reserved. This article was published on Ungrind.org on June 1, 2009.
