The month of May is such a busy and stressful month, especially if you work in education. There are so many details and deadlines, barely time to get everything done. This past weekend I saw many people posting on Facebook about their spontaneous beach trips over Memorial Day weekend, and it reminded me of the importance of relaxation.
Our culture encourages us to be workhorses. It is a race to see how much we can accomplish in a 24-hour day.
There are many positives to living in a society that encourages accomplishment and success, but I have found that, as I get older, the days just fly by because of all the activities. It can get to be a constant adrenaline rush and a rinse-and-repeat lifestyle. Weekends give some temporary relief, but for me, at least one day a weekend is treated as a work day.
When a long vacation hits – in my case. the two summer months between school years – it can be hard adjusting to its slowness. Suddenly there is no to-do list, time is abundant and no longer a precious resource. I sometimes find myself anxious, thinking there is something I need to get done or that I have forgotten.
I am an only child and, for most of my childhood, I was expected to entertain myself since many of my idle hours were spent more around adults than other children. It’s where I developed a love of reading and a sense of creativity. Once these summer months start to pick up and I get used to the long hours, like my childhood, I will begin to have long periods of time to myself or time spent just enjoying conversations and idleness with my friends and family.