I have worked with many people who are desperate to change their relationship to work, which can also extend to the need to be ‘busy’ more broadly. The trouble is, they don’t know how. They have internalized messages that to do less than full speed or less than ‘perfect’ is to be lazy and unproductive (gasp!). These people are often overworked and burnt out. The trouble is that these negative messages often haunt us even when we’ve reached the breaking point and literally can’t take anymore. People end up on stress leave from work, perhaps depressed or traumatized, and still they can’t help but judge themselves, often unable to see just ‘being’ or ‘being bored’ for a while as part of their important recovery. While I don’t suggest this is a permanent solution, imagine intentionally devoting some time to real rest and soulful reflection and connection. Imagine what different choices you might make with respect to work in the future; choices that include making time for other things in life that matter. In this context, I loved this essay I heard about working perhaps toward a ‘to-don’t’ instead of ‘to-do’ list.
