We’ve been together now for a decade. And – gosh – it’s been an action-packed ten years. We both left our careers and started over from scratch, building our furniture business from the ground up, moving six times, traveling all around the country (often by car), growing our design business, opening our retail shop, renovating homes, squeezing in a workout or two, and so much more.
So yeah, we’re busy people.
You’re probably busy, too. We all are. The non-stop hustle of modern life can be necessary, but it can also be a trap. This pandemic has taught many of us that at least some of these activities aren’t quite so essential for our success or happiness.
My nature is to fill my day with work. There are always emails to answer, calls to return, that project I’ve been working on for months, and everything else on my intimidating to-do list. The computer, the phone, and the iPad all fight for my attention with tasks that need doing. The problem with filling your day with work is that every day starts to feel the same, and you begin missing out on the moments that make life…life.
Roger has helped me understand that a day needs pauses. Downtime. You can only stay focused for so long before your productivity sinks. Instead of running myself to the limit, I am happier and more productive turning off the devices and taking a break now and then.
It doesn’t have to be long. It can be playing with the dogs for a few minutes. Lying down for a 10 minute nap. Or sitting down together to listen to the breeze and cicadas while the sun sets.
It may sound strange, but some of our best memories together are the quiet moments of doing nothing. Because, for us, enjoying the present moment together is one of life’s greatest luxuries.
