DOWNTIME

It is so critical to our well-being to take some downtime.  

This past week has been just that for me.  We only close the office 2 weeks out of the year and we choose to focus one of the weeks around the Fourth of July.  Everyone is heading in so many different directions with vacation plans that it is simple for us to take the downtime too.

But is it simple?  Do you have an easy time relaxing?  Do you take moments to breathe?  Do you schedule your own downtime?   

For me, it is not easy.  What I have discovered over the 18+ years in private practice is that it is just simpler to stay open and keep going rather than mark off downtime.  

I actually find that I do a whole lot better with regular scheduled days filled with routine.  It takes a lot of mental fortitude to just allow myself to sit still.  

Last summer, I decided for the first time to just stay home and have a “staycation” instead of trying to get out of town.  I live just 4 miles from the office and knowing things are building up around there is hard not to go in and try to keep up with it all.  Running a business like we do, people often think that it is just patient care that is the work to do.  If you had any idea what happens behind the scenes, you would soon realize that patient care is about 60% of what goes on.  

Patient care is something to set aside for a week just for my mental health and to give my body and mind a rest for the week.  The rest of the work is the part that haunts me as I try to sit home and sit still.  And if I admit to the truth of it all, it has been really hard to let it all go.  

When I am out of town, it is easier because I am not just 4 miles from all the work.  Next year I will probably go into debates about how to spend this week because of the internal battle I have faced this past week…and this is just me being honest as to really how it all feels.  

In saying all that, I am excited to get back to work, get back to helping people and begin the catch-up game that will go on for at least 2 weeks.  

I have spent the week with the dogs and my family.  I have enjoyed a ton of time outside and gotten a lot of good sunshine.  I have had time to break bread with friends, catch up with a few online tasks, take a TON of yoga classes (www.discoverthespace.com), walk the dags and float around in the lake.  It has been glorious.  

I know for a fact that I could continue on and not take downtime, however, when I do, I am able to return more refreshed and ready to take on the second half of the year.  I am a person dedicated to and driven by progress.  As long as life has progress happening daily, my soul is happy. 

What I am now realizing is that downtime is still making progress.  Live and learn…see you tomorrow!