Doing What Lights You Up Isn't Taking Time OFF Work, It's Taking Time ON Life

You know, I’ve never thought of myself as a?workaholic.

But the truth is, I often work seven days a week.

It is a joy working with quality people who are doing good things in the world. It’s creatively rewarding, enormously satisfying, and I’m grateful for it.

However, it’s time to change my work ethic.

A big part of that is understanding that doing something I love with someone I love is not taking time OFF work, it’s taking time ON life.

I recently read a startling statistic from research done by Glassdoor, "77% of Americans DON'T take their full vacation." What's that about?

Where did we learn that working hard was the key to success? That fun is somehow frivolous, something we only do when our work is done?

Albert Einstein said, “We can’t solve a problem with the same thinking that caused it.”

We also can’t solve a problem with the same LANGUAGE that caused it.

So when I choose to go for a walk/talk or go swimming in my local pool, or spend time with my sons and their families, or sit in my backyard and revel in the centering gentleness of golden hour, I remind myself I am not taking time off work, I am taking time on life.

We've got to shift the perception that recreation (literally re-creation) is somehow frivolous.

How about you? Has working "all the time" become your norm?

How is that impacting your quality of life? Who important to you are you sacrificing? As Arthur C. Brooks says, "Are you spending time with your real friends or your deal friends?

Could that be a regret waiting to happen?

If so, what are you going to do about it?

Work, taken to an extreme, can become our Achilles Heel. (Achilles Hell?)

What really matters to you? Who really matters to you?

Are they overdue for some well-deserved time and attention?

This weekend set work aside. It'll be there waiting for you on Monday.

Immerse yourself in being fully present with people you care about.

Lose yourself in something you genuinely enjoy that re-energizes you.

Reconnect with who and what really matter.

Look around and ask yourself, "What lights me up just thinking about it?" Do that.

You won't regret taking time on life, you'll only wish you'd done it sooner.

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This is excerpted from Sam's SOMEDAY is Not a Day in the week. LISTEN to it on Audible.