Earlier this week, my work was hosting a networking event where our CEO was the speaker. I always enjoy seeing the CEO or my supervisor speak on something unrelated to work, whether it’s inspirational anecdotes or what’s to simplify life. During the CEO’s personal wellness talk, there was a term called a stay-cation, a vacation at home. I’ve heard these talks and read all those self-help life-optimizing books to usually gloss over something I’ve heard many times before, but it wasn’t until I had the recent opportunity to do so that I really understood the value of rest.
These few months have been a bit stressful. My personal life has been active, with a lot of “firsts” going on, I have transitioned from a part-time work schedule to a full time one, at one point juggling three jobs and working more than 40 hours a week. I’ve been committing my weekends to studying for my GRE exam, early mornings to working out, and I’ve lost the track on this project for a bit. I needed a break, even with my exam looming a week away, I needed a break. I was feeling very out of control.
I had a rare opportunity recently to flush out a day. Postponing my responsibilities, I ate lunch, took a nap, and went to Border’s bookstore. Instead of bringing along my GRE materials, I decided to just take a walk, feeling that calming energy you get when you walk into a room full of clean, pristine books and smelling that slight aroma of overly sweet coffee and hardened pastries sitting too long under the glass display case. I sat on a pleather armchair tucked in the corner and draped one leg over the arm rest, finding a balance between lying down and sitting. I picked out Anthony Bourdain’s Medium Raw and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love; and started doing something I haven’t done in months. I spent time on myself.
Why was this such a phenomenal feeling that I walked away from it so energized? Was it because of what I was reading? Perhaps (on a side note, the two books are both great reads, and interestingly, rather similar.) After hours sitting in a position that would make a contortionist jealous and indulging in a peculiar herb tea cream cheese bagel pretzel…thing, I left the bookstore with a new sense of energy and creativity, like I’ve just had a weekend getaway to some casual private island. Was idleness meant to feel this good?
I’m very accustomed to doing a lot, trying to jam as much productivity into my day, while at the same time, trying to do a little bit of everything in life. That day I flushed out all responsibility was a key reminder in the triad of our human health: in mind, body, and spirit. It’s not selfish to rest if you need it. In fact, it’s more of a remedy only you can prescribe. Perhaps everyone could learn to take this “stay-cation” like a mollifying daily vitamin, rather than a needed antibiotic. I know I’m finally seeing the importance of it.
