The Value of Rest
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be getting a few days off work. CLS is closing tomorrow – sort of a last chance to get a break before we get busy this fall. Next week, I have two days scheduled off as personal vacation days. After another full week of work, the following week is Labor Day. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to these days off with anticipation.
I’ve always been an opponent to sleep & rest. As a kid, whenever mom could see me dozing off, she’d ask if I was tired. I’d always say no. If I could avoid sleep in any way, I would do it. Through college and the few years after college, I could easily get away with 4-6 hours sleep a night and be okay the next day. I can always think of a thousand things I could do if I didn’t have to sleep. My reason for staying up late, often times, was because I wanted to get one more thing done before bed, and then another, and then another.
Then I bought a new mattress set. Unbelievable. I actually like going to sleep now. My bed is amazing. In the past, it’s been rare that I go to bed before midnight or 1 a.m. Now, I’m lucky to be able to stay awake past 11 or 11:30. In the morning, it’s more difficult for me to wake up. I’m sleeping pretty hard these days.
I’m learning how valuable rest is. Not just sleep. Relaxation & recreation are important. Most of this year, Mars Hill pastor Mark Driscoll has been blogging about this after pushing himself to the limit for the past several years.
Most people, myself included, think they don’t need rest. They don’t feel tired. Maybe they don’t feel stressed. They have a thousand vacation days, but never take them. At the same time, they feel unmotivated, uninspired, and burned out at their jobs. What I’m learning is that even though I might not feel worn out, I need to take time off here and there. Driscoll points out that this often re-energizes us once we get back to work. We’re inspired and motivated again (that is, if we enjoy our job!). If you’re a workaholic, I encourage you to read through Driscoll’s recent posts about the negative health effects of pushing yourself to the limit, along with his tips on how to better organize your time. If you have vacation days, take them!
So, I’m really looking forward to having four days off over the next few weeks. It’s not much, but it’s plenty for me. Maybe at some point, I’ll take a whole week off, but this’ll be good for now.
