No More Homework
Question:
Good work demands fresh minds. A lot of workers, however, don't walk through the doors
with a spring in their step. Instead, it's a matter of dragging their feet. The question
is, how do we rekindle that energy day in and day out?
Answer:
Leave your work at work. When the office doors, or truck doors, or dungeon doors
close behind you, let that clicking sound of closure release your mind from stress.
I'm not talking about papers that have to be looked over or reports that have to be
completed; sometimes these things have to be done at the kitchen table. I'm talking
about the invisible weight workers carry home with them, about worries and fears and
everything else that can't be improved with obsessive thought.
A friend who helped run a summer camp was struggling with this. As each day wrapped
up, she would bind together all of her concerns and strap them to her back as she
walked to her car. It was all she could think or talk about.
Why can't the kids behave? Why aren't the instructors all getting along? Is the
Winter family mad at me? What did I do wrong?
Worrying wasn't going to solve these problems. Running over them again and again
wouldn't improve anything. The worry was wasteful; its effects were visible.
She looked beaten down. Each morning didn't start with a clean slate but instead with
yesterday's worries chirping in her mind. The cycle never stopped, wearing away her
peace of mind and her interest in making the camp a success.
You and I both know how heavy worry can be. It taints everything with gloom and
despair. But, when you let it go for just a moment, when you give yourself the
freedom to break away, you return invigorated.
When you leave your worries at work, you show up the next day ready to tackle the
challenges because your mind rested and recuperated throughout the night. So even
though the weight is heavy, consciously shut down your concerns as you walk out the
door. Know that you'll return tomorrow to fight the good fight. But, for now, it's
time to rest.
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