As technology improves and communication speeds up, so does the pace of life. Email replaced snail mail, and now messaging apps like Slack can keep us in touch with our work wherever and whenever we are. Instead of having more time for relaxation, we end up trying to be more productive. Work projects seem to go on forever and the “To Do” list never ends.
With so much to accomplish, it’s easy to lose track of what’s important, of why we work in the first place. Is work there to help us generate wealth? What is wealth? Is it a savings account? Is it an IRA fund? A swelling stock portfolio?
Is wealth about money at all?
I don’t think so.
To me, wealth is having the means to live the life I enjoy with the people I love. Pursuing money for money’s sake doesn’t add to my wealth if I don’t have time to spend with my friends and family. My children and my partner won’t care if I make an extra ten thousand dollars for the company if I’m too busy to take small moments out of my day to share my life with them.
Sometimes it’s just a hello, a pause, a hug.
Sometimes it’s a pause to take time for ourselves. That isn’t always easy, but it’s worth trying. What will remain important long after the job you have to do today will be the friends you made and the ways you made sure to take care of your personal health and mental well-being.
So the next time you find yourself rushing out the door with a coffee in your travel mug, or locking yourself in your office to hide from the kids, ask yourself what will serve you better down the road. Take a deep breath, relax, and spend a few extra minutes with your loved ones, or with yourself. You probably won’t remember that work project you finished ahead of schedule; most of us will never regret spending a few minutes more on self-care and human connection.
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