During the last couple of weeks, I went from being insanely busy working on-site in Boston plus stuff for my own clients to being insanely busy working on stuff for my own clients, but without having to travel to and from Boston every day. I had anticipated a bit of much-needed time off during my two-week hiatus and planned to spend a few days in Maine with my Mom along with catching up on reading and just relaxing to celebrate my 30th birthday.
Instead, I had to do an incredibly thorough proposal for a client (which the client rejected), lay out a 40-page book for another client, talk to yet another client about updates to his website, organize printing for two different jobs, and put together a seminar on Eco-friendly marketing for a group in Providence (which meets tomorrow). I don't think I need to say I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.
But for whatever reason, in the middle of all this stress, my mind decided it wanted to be on vacation, and that's where it was going to go, dammit. I couldn't focus on anything for a while; lost touch with Gather, my business blog, and quite a bit of my personal blog; started taking forever to do things, laying down more often, and just plain boycotting anything that remotely looked like work. Finally, I gave up, and cancelled two party invites I had RSVP'd to in order to drive up to Maine for the weekend. I slept in a huge tent under the stars (it was like the Presidential Suite of tents—there was enough room for 10 people in that thing!), went swimming at the lake every day, and sat around reading a book on getting organized. I also spent most of Sunday doing hard physical labor, and helping my mother get on the Internet. Monday I got home, and I was able to get the proposal together with no problem. I was exhausted and broken, but could focus better than I had in weeks.
On Thursday, I turned 30. In the morning, I met with a PR rep I met at a networking event, where we agreed to exchange services. I've been meaning to start doing some PR, so this deal was perfect—she does it for me, and in return, I help build her brand. Win-win all the way. I went from that meeting straight to another networking meeting, and didn't return home until 4:30. I meant to do some writing, but it just didn't happen. My mind went on vacation again, and I decided I was just going to hang around reading miscellaneous posts until my boyfriend showed up. I ended up completely blowing off anything that looked like work until Monday morning. Instead, I put together a party for my friends and spent time with my family.
The interesting thing is that I very rarely take vacations. I've worked hard all my life, and sometimes I get to the point where I don't really know anything outside of work. But what I'm noticing now that I'm getting older is that sometimes, when you've put yourself on the brink of workaholism, your life contrives to make space for relaxation. You don't get the big account you really wanted, but were afraid you wouldn't have time for. Little things get shifted around here and there. Finally, your mind just says "You're not working right now; go play outside." And in this time off (even if it's just a weekend or a few afternoons of leaving early), you rebuild what all that work has lost you; you start re-focusing and re-connecting with why you do what you do, instead of doing it just because it needs to be done.
I'm back at work now, and although things are going to be too hectic to regularly update for a little while, I definitely plan on publishing some new articles and entries to my business blog very soon. And I definitely plan on taking some more time off.
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Dani Nordin is the founder of the zen kitchen, a design studio in Somerville MA which specializes in eco-friendly marketing materials and web design for businesses and non-profit organizations. She also publishes a weekly(ish) blog called "Notes from the zen kitchen," which shares things she's learned along the way as a business owner, and thoughts on sustainable graphic design and branding. Learn more about the zen kitchen and sign up for the monthly newsletter at tzk-design.com.
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Comments: 5
second, great article. its always a shock when your brain shuts down and lets you know in no uncertain terms that its time for a break.
be good to yourself.
it always freaks me out when people work this hard. that is how i got sick so badly. hope you can take care of yourself!!
That is something I've been looking into; of course, there's a balance you have to strike with it—otherwise, you end up drowning in barter work without enough paid client work coming in. The main thing for me right now is organization and balance.