Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Work/Life Balance-Permission to Hang Out

So this week's prompt is on managing the Work/Life balance...hmm. How do you do this when you enjoy your work? When work feels like play...that is my challenge. Work may feed my desire to engage meaningfully with students, but it doesn't necessarily relax me. It doesn't feed my desire to engage with my partner or with my pets or friends and family.

For me, this attempt at balance is more about being comfortable with saying 'no' to some folks. Do I want to go to your event on my one night off to hang out with my husband and eat rice noodles on the couch? No, thank you for thinking of me. Would I love to spend Saturday, my Sabbath going to three events...or frankly even one? Maybe, maybe not. Probably not. I'd rather be watching Kung Fu Panda with my partner and dog. Sue me. I think being able to exist in the space of the laziness...judge me if you will...is healthy. I fully support it.

When I make class schedules with college students, I am often struck by their desire to schedule every minute of their every day.

"Why don't I have a Wednesday class?" They ask.
"Maybe I can join a club and do somehting with them on that day..." They continue...
"Maybe you can do laundry, watch the news or listen to VPR. Maybe you can watch movies or read books for fun. Maybe take a yoga class or a nap or a walk or a car trip." I say.

They blink back at me in what I construe to be confused silence.

Imagine that. Time to hang out. I give myself permission.

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