We all work very hard these days. Long hours, traffic, expected to do more with less and we often feel over worked and under-appreciated. If you are hourly you are probably working between 32 and 40 hours, that is if you only have one job! If you are salaried you are probably working between 40 and 55 hours. If you own your own business you’re probably looking at 60 to 70 hours. That is a lot of time at work! Life happens!
Yes, we all put in a lot of time and work and we do what we have to do to pay our bills, support our families and to fulfill our dreams.
To keep our sanity or at least the little we may have left, it is important to have a social life, an outlet. It is important, not to mention fun to spend time with friends and family. Going to a cookout, ball game, to the movies, dinner or just hanging out is fun, relaxing and can take your mind off of your work problems. Having friends that you can have good serious conversations or just talk about stuff can be liberating.
If you are in a relationship it is equally if not more important to spend quality time alone with just that person. They are your inspiration, your love, your lifeline and your confidante. You need to support and feed that relationship. I know you have a busy schedule but it is necessary to find one day a week or a month to have quality couple time. Go to dinner, take a walk, go on a picnic or just take a ride in the country or find some road you haven’t been down and take it. You can just sit quietly without talking and enjoy each other’s presence.
If you are a Parent, find the time to spend alone with your child. Not as a couple, or Mom and Dad or as Parental Units but just you and your child. Go to the zoo, the aquarium, camping, fishing, the museum or for ice cream. Teach them how to tie their shoe or ride a bike. Kids are great and you can learn so much from them and you have so much you can teach them. When you are old you probably won’t say ‘I wish I would have done one more report at work’, but you will probably say ‘I wish I knew my child a little better’. Remember, they will be picking out your nursing home!
The most important thing that most of us neglect to do is to spend time ALONE. I know this is a scary thought for a lot of folks. Just you, by yourself. No friends, no family, no partners, no dogs, well OK maybe the dogs! It doesn’t matter if you take a whole day or a couple of hours but you need ‘you’ time. Take a walk, get a $5 foot long from Subway and go to the park. Take yourself to the movies or lunch. Spend quality time by yourself to get back in touch with who you are, what you are all about, where you’ve been and where you’re going. Reflect on your life; your goals and especially your accomplishments. Introduce you to yourself. Celebrate your greatness!
I know some of you are thinking ‘I should do that, sometime soon’. Do it now! Go get your appointment book if you have to and schedule your relationship time. You don’t want to be in your twilight years and say ‘I wish I would have…’
Yes, we all spend a great deal of time and energy on our work and careers. Shouldn’t we spend time on our friends, partners, family, kids and ourselves?
You just might discover what a lot of other people probably already know: You are pretty Good Company!
Post your comments below as to what you did and where you went!
