![]() Their recommendation was companies should consider either going to 35-hour work weeks or cutting back to four-day work schedules. I recently read an article that said a 40-hour work week is not only not bad for our health, it's counterproductive when it comes to our overall job performance too. Even if we take a 30-minute lunch, we rarely leave our desk. But in America, most of us work at least 40 hours a week. Maybe if we lived in China (where lunch breaks are two hours long) or the Netherlands (where the work week averages out to be 29 hours a week), there would be no need to make this point. Personal Days and Holidays Are Busier Than Work Days Silence and stillness are what help to bring us into this mind of mental, emotional, and spiritual peace. How can I be so confident about this? Because one definition of silence is "to put (doubts, fears, etc.) to rest" (can you just imagine how draining it is to worry ALL of the time?!) and stillness itself is a spiritual principle: " Be still and know I am God." (Psalm 46:10) It's in the moments of quiet that we're able to meditate, re-center ourselves, and be OK with not having to have all of the answers or solutions. My overall point is this-just like there is a time to talk and be busy, there is also a time for silence and stillness. To me, that sounds like they might need to see a therapist (all of us should at one point or another) because if you need to be distracted away from your own mind…something is definitely up. There are people I personally know who say they constantly have to stay busy because being alone with their thoughts unsettles them. ![]() If words like self-conscious, awkward, or uncomfortable come to mind, ask yourself why. Once you do it, think about how it made you feel. While on the surface this might not seem like that big of a deal, the next time you're alone with your bae or even with a close friend, try sitting for 15 minutes (without any electronic device on) without saying a word. I can't tell you how many men have told me that a sign of being in a healthy relationship with a woman is being able to just sit in silence without being pressured to say anything to her. ![]() Silence and Stillness Make You Uncomfortable ![]() If you think you might be the very person I'm referring to, here are some telltale signs that you and rest are not on the same page. I also know its an epidemic how many of us don't have a clue how to really do this. No, what I'm referring to is being intentional about seeking the kind of refreshment and refueling that directly comes from taking work breaks, disconnecting from the internet, and giving your mind, body, and spirit time to calm down…take it easy…let go. (Everything from the common cold and headaches to obesity, asthma, diabetes, depression, and even Alzheimer's are directly related to stress, by the way.) A lack of rest is why some of us stay anxious, worried, and totally stressed out far more than we should. A lack of rest is why many of us are moody and irritable so much of the time. A lack of rest is why a lot of us age sooner than we should. One of the things I dig so much about having an entire day, each and every week, to relax is that it's taught me 1) how to better prioritize the rest of the week and 2) how to REST. When I tell you that it is nothing short of a pure blessing? To have a full 24-hour period to just CHILL OUT is something that no job or anything else really has convinced me to compromise…ever. And while I am no longer an Adventist ("disciple" is more my lane), I'm still someone who totally goes off of the grid from Friday sunset thru Saturday sunset. Spiritual beliefs included.Īs far as my own spirituality goes, I grew up in a religion that honored the Seventh-Day Sabbath ( DeVon Franklin is someone who spends a fair amount of time speaking on this very topic he usually tweets about it on the actual day). And what they tell you, it becomes a part of your foundation, your core. When you're a child, so much of what you do depends on what your parents tell you (which is always a cautionary tale for people who want to have kids).
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