The other editors here tell me I should retitle this column "Last Word" because it's often the last piece written
for the magazine. Although it's true that "First Word" is often my last word, writing it is something that I take very seriously. But because it's just one of what seems like a million things
that I have to do each month, I usually end up waiting until the very last moment to write it, which sometimes results in a rather tepid review of the current issue's contents.
At least I can take some solace from the knowledge that I'm not alone. It seems as though everyone I know is busier than ever--working longer shifts, working on weekends, postponing
vacations. Most of my friends work two jobs, own a small business or have so many commitments to church, school or other organizations that they can't seem to keep any of them. In today's
society, if you're not working 80 hours a week at two jobs, you're viewed with suspicion. It's like the good old Protestant work ethic on speed. Even the hope of the
long-awaited vacation holds little promise. When was the last time you had a truly relaxing vacation? Between overcrowded airplanes, hotels and restaurants, vacationing has lost some of its magic
for me. Frankly, I'd rather stay home, unplug the modem and putter in my garden. As my mother says, "Sometimes I just need to feel the earth between my fingers." Remember those
cheesy post-World War II newsreels about our future lives? They told us we'd all live in gleaming cities and be effortlessly whizzed from place to place in shining air cars. Robotic servants
would cater to our slightest whims. Our homes would be stocked with clever gadgets that would save us so much time that we'd have hours of free time to enjoy our families and broaden our minds. Yeah, right. Despite, or perhaps because of, all the technological marvels we now enjoy--computers, cells phones, the Internet--we have less free time than
ever before. Why can't we enjoy the fruits of the technology that was meant to free us? What can we do to get back some of the free time we've lost? Here are some suggestions:
1. Unplug. Step away from the computer. Call your mother; don't e-mail her. Drive to the bookstore and buy a real book. The time spent at the bookstore will be much more relaxing than the
hour cruising Amazon.com. Walk across the office and talk face-to-face with a co-worker; don't e-mail her. 2. Say no. Turn down that extra work once and a while. Tell your
boss you have a family, a life and a need to feel the earth between your fingers. (I can already see the gleam in the eyes of the Quality Digest
staff. Unfortunately, item two doesn't apply to California-based quality publications.) 3. Sleep in. One day a week, sleep late. You've earned it. Research shows that we
aren't getting the necessary minimum of eight hours of sleep to operate at our peak. Even though you can't "bank" sleep, an extra hour or two on a Saturday morning can't hurt.
4. Reward yourself with an indulgence. Instead of feeling guilty about that piece of chocolate cake, that hour you overslept or that walk in the park you took, revel in it. Praise yourself
for having the courage to be good to yourself.
I was going to ask you to e-mail me with your solutions for managing your lives in this busy world and coping with the many challenges you're faced with, but in light of what
I just said, skip it. Call your mother instead. I've got to get back to work, anyway. |
