Rest

For the month of August we are taking a rest. Although we are teaching a few classes by distance, we are on holiday.

It seems, especially in Japan, that work never ends, employees are expected to work longer and longer hours, often for reduced pay, and not working extra hours is frowned upon. A vicious cycle; you work more hours, then are expected to work them, and then more is expected, so you work more hours... Good jobs seem hard to come by, so employees bear this until their health fails.

In Germany, the majority of workers has five to six weeks annual holiday. This must be taken in one consecutive period, and by law people are forbidden from taking other employment during the holiday period. In other words, you must take a holiday!

How different this is from Japan, the USA or the UK for example, yet Germany has one of the highest standards of living and industrial production in the world.

Since many of us feel we do not have enough free time, when the weekend comes we are eager to do many activities. Yet how often do we schedule rest? Literally writing 'rest' in one's diary and once a week taking an hour's break would produce great benefits, such as increased creativity, more energy, greater self-awareness, and more insight, to name a few.

Culturally, the value of hard work is a Judeo-Christian ethic. In many parts of the world, time with friends and family, enjoying food and conversation, and simply 'being' are more prized than hard work.

The 'economic crisis' has revealed deep structural flaws in a system based on endless growth on a planet with limited resources (clue: we cannot keep growing materially for ever).

More and more people realise that giving their working life to a company is not in their best interests. Consumerism is not a way to creating a vibrant, creative, dynamic society.

Rest is not a bad thing. Nature's cycle of rest is called winter, and Chinese medicine recognizes the value of living in a region where there are four seasons as this helps the body to remain healthy.

So, this summer, give yourself permission to rest, take a break and put your feet up (do not watch TV or 'do' some other activity), let your mind wander and enjoy the down-time.