What's It For?

Cramming about a month's worth of work into one week, I had to ask myself, "What's it for? Why am I working so hard?"

I have been enjoying the work immensely and it's a big job, but at a certain point I had to come up to the surface to breath and remind myself why I was doing it.

Why would I cram a month of work into one week? To cram is not exactly an elegant verb, is it? But, to cram is what I have been doing, and with great success and accomplishment.

What's it for?

So that I can spend the next three weeks of Summer Vacation with our kids and be totally chill, present, and easy with them. For the next three weeks, I want my only responsibility to be to have fun with the kids (and, you know, all the regular responsibilities that come with parenting).

So, that's it. All the cramming; totally worth it! Is there a better way? You bet, but apparently I am not there, yet.

In the past when I found myself over-working, cramming, or buried in projects, it was usually because I was either stuck in "survival mode," trying to prove something, or trying to "get ahead" financially. Since becoming a regular meditator, this behavior is no longer the norm.

Now that I identified why I've been working so hard this week, I feel pretty great. I've been leveraging my time and energy for the sake of unencumbered shared experience with my family. I'm not wrecked or worn out. I got ahead of my work so that I can play. Not too shabby.

Working hard? What's it for?

If the answer brings you joy, great!

If the answer leaves you feeling despair or that there is no end in sight, it might be time for a reevaluation.