Sunday has long been my favorite day of the week. I can remember being a HS student and spending long, lazy Sunday mornings reading the paper sitting up in my bed wearing my pjs. I did this even after I was married - until I had kids. Of course, then everything changed.
When our girls were little and life seemed to get extra hectic, Geoff and I decided to make Sunday "Family Day" as a way to protect some space each week to simply be together as a family and to slow down the pace of our hectic lives. As great of an idea as that is, it didn't really work all that well. Sometimes other things, events, and people interrupted Family Day and I'm sorry to say, we didn't always keep that day sacred. But, for the most part, it wasn't a big deal.
As the girls got bigger and were in school full time, I still enjoyed the slower pace of Sunday mornings and reading the paper, but with more free time during the week, I didn't really feel the need to keep Sunday as a slow day of renewal. Of course, setting aside time to be together as a family in a relaxed way is still a worthy goal, but with two teenagers who have their own ideas about how to spend their leisure time, this is not always feasible.
In reality, for many, many years Sunday has just been another day. Most weeks, it starts out slow, but I will admit that when necessary I would spend that day running errands or doing stuff around the house or even making plans outside the home.
But.. (you knew there was a but coming didn't you?)
Now that I'm three weeks into my new job and much busier schedule, I'm realizing I am going to have to rethink how I structure my days and weeks. I no longer have the luxury of at least 1 full day and 3 half days off a week. Now I work every day and my free time is extremely limited. I've spent these past three weeks thinking about how to make this all work and still have time to relax and refresh myself (this is something I absolutely need). One thing I'm going to do is to make Sunday a Day of Renewal. A day of rest. I'm going to try not to run errands or make plans on that day. I'm not a religious person, but I like the idea of Keeping the Sabbath as a way to rest, renew and refresh myself for the upcoming week. I know it's easier said than done. But it's something I absolutely MUST do to maintain some sense of balance within my new schedule. I hope I am able to stick to it.
How about you? How do you find time in your busy schedule for relaxation and rest? Is it easy for you or is it something you struggle with?
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I seldom intentionally take time to rest or relax. Which is not to say that I am productive all the time. But I do most always feel like I'm being pulled in a dozen directions. Unfortuately I don't have your organization so many things get started and not finished. My lot in life.
You know that I'm struggling with my return to work as well. My children are very young so we aren't racing in a variety of directions for their various activities yet. I think I mentioned before that we've tried to keep a rule much the same as yours. One day of the weekend is always kept without plans. That way, we can fill the day with whatever suits us at the time. We haven't always been successful, because as you say, other obligations do happen. But I suppose that's the point of making it all work. Being free to be flexible, but making every effort to protect that time. Like you, I need time to regenerate. It's critical. I'll keep reading and hope to hear more as you work it all out. Good luck!
Because I am not currently working time for just me is usually accomplished when my kids are at school. Certainly that time is not all mine, the laundry, housework and errands must still be done. I try my best(not always successful) to do chores, grocery shop, run errands,M-F, some require others, like shopping for my kids, or the trip to Lowe's where I really need Kevin. Weekends are for sports, and family. When not pulled by sports we try to do something together, that can be as simple as a family movie night with a DVD. We try to attend church together.
Looking at this past weekend we weren't super busy, but we didn't do a lot as a family of 5. There were meals out, ice cream out, movies, some shopping and one basketball game, but some were done in groups of 2, 3 or 4.....does it count that all 5 of us worked in the yard a couple of hours? ha ha.
Wishing you luck on your day to rejuvenate!
With my fibro, I need some down time... buuuutt even though I am not working (as in drawing a check) I do babysit my grandson and it seems I don't have very much of it. Most of the time, it takes a flare-up with my fibro to take me down and that is painful instead of relaxing...darn it! Like you, I am trying to make time for relaxing so that doesn't happen.
You need to make it happen with 2 jobs and 2 teenage kids and a hubby...Lol
Sorry Pam, I just got my email set up so I can email straight from my comment and the answer to your question on the snowflakes is: I have a Macro setting on my camera that allows you to get within an inch of what you are taking. I was within an inch or closer to those snowflakes, that is how small they were.
With the occasional exception due to some obligations, I try to keep Sunday as my day of rest. I am a faithful church-goer, but I also try not to go out to eat or shop or even do my laundry on Sunday if it can be helped. It's a great day for regrouping and taking a break from the world.
Good for you for reclaiming your Sundays! Sunday is a slow day for me too. My boyfriend and I always start the day by attending church, then we'll either come home to relax or we'll go out to lunch with his parents. Sunday evenings are a time to eat dinner together, catch up on TV and prepare for the upcoming week.
What a great idea, Pam! Just like you, I often intend for Sunday to be for relaxation but it often ends up getting filled with to-do's, just like every other day of the week.
Our Sunday tradition is a big pancake breakfast. I make homemade pancakes with some sort of fruit filling (or chocolate chips!) - the kids love it. My husband and I try to relax and read the paper, but there have been weeks when I don't finish the Sunday paper until Friday!
Sue
It's so hard to find time to relax, isn't that sad? One thing that we have instituted...Friday Night Family Movie Night. We make homemade pizza and watch a movie, just the four of us. It's become something we all treasure. As for relaxing with just myself? I do that by blogging!
Ahhh, the Sunday Dilemna! There is nothing better than flannel pj's, a warm fluffy dog, pillow & blanket, roaring fire, and a great book! Oh, and the house to myself! Hmmm, with 3 teenagers (14, 15, 17) it gets kind of loud around here at times! So I think that is just my fantasy, not my reality, LOL!!!!
Good luck in finding your peaceful reality and managing your new job with a few moments to yourself. I love your blog by the way. It's very clean and easy to read!
I'm totally with you on setting Sunday aside as a day of rest! Reading the Sunday paper is a treat and I've also instituted Sunday "movie afternoons"for myself. Knowing that Sunday is my day of rest seems to give me permission to honestly relax without feeling guilty! Sad, I know, but it works for me!
We all need time to rest from our work and a weekend day is the perfect time.
But if you are going to keep the Sabbath, then that will make it Saturday--God never changed it to Sunday, man did!!
Sounds like you have a good handle on it. Sunday is a day of renewal in all ways. Glad your job allows you to have it off.!
I catch "me" and down time when I have a chance, but it's not scheduled. Some weeks I work a lot and don't have any down time.. other weeks are thankfully low key. About once a month I try to pick a Saturday or Sunday when I don't have to do anything/go anywhere and use it to catch up on things at home :)
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