We will never achieve everything, but we can achieve what truly matters
I came upon an old idea (originating from monks, no less!) that stuck with me: we will never achieve everything there is to achieve, and we have to choose what to leave behind as our time keeps tick-tocking away.
At first, it feels a bit counterintuitive and goes against everything we know about work. We’re taught to complete all our projects and then go beyond them to achieve more and more every day.?
So how could we – responsible workers – put aside our work before it is done or kill a project because there’s no time for it?
It’s a difficult task to say, “Today my work is done,” and move on to the next part of the day – whether it’s picking up the kids from school, having dinner with a friend, or sitting in a park watching a dog play.
We’ve been raised to finish what we’re working on at the moment and continue for one more hour, or two, or three…
Nowadays, there’s a trend called hustle culture – the relentless pursuit of work and productivity, often at the expense of rest and personal well-being – and some people adhere to it. One of its promoters even went viral for shaming adults who take sick days.
But what does Saint Benedict say about work?
We must find time for work, time for prayer, and time for rest.
There is always one more thing to do – an email to write, an Excel sheet to check, a call to take – but we will never achieve everything, not in our lifetime.
Let’s not forget we have a human life, and every day we should make a conscious decision about how to use it – ensuring it’s time well spent, not just time spent.
Anca Serban, Head of Marketing @Pluria
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Seasoned Citizenship & Golden Visa Advisor | Plan B, Retirement, Lifestyle Security, Intl Real Estate | Empowering the Global Citizen | Consultant & Author | Dual Citizen | Lived in/Worked With More Than 20 Cultures
1 个月Hey Anca, what a cool refresher piece, and very timely. Unfortunately, the concept of work-life balance has seem to become a bit cliche in too many ways. However, it really needs to be understood how important it is - at its most fundamental core, work-life balance is all about setting boundaries. It genuinely is a skill that should be taught as early on as possible. Bravo Anca, well done.