My wife and I recently realized that we've been working six days a
week (we're both self-employed) and it's exhausting. Even in that
recognition, there was still a feeling that if we take away a day of
work, we'll get "behind" where we think we should be.
We
got in clutter busting mode and began questioning our self-imposed
calendars. We discovered that no matter the intention, feeling
overwhelmed or exhausted doesn't feel good. It hurts. That pain
distracts from our enjoyment of life. We were striving for imaginary
benefits at the cost of our well-being. Nothing is worth the cost of
hurting yourself.
With that recognition, we've started to slow down. I took yesterday off. I felt my body and mind begin to restore. My wife asked herself to stop working at 6pm instead of working until 10. I cradled her in my arms as we snuggled on the couch.
Jamming our lives full of things and constantly pushing
ourselves beyond our capacities means we often miss out on life right
now.
All of us need spaces of rest and quiet. We function better when our homes
and our lives are simpler.