I recently took a long awaited family holiday. Something we really needed to do. It was a great opportunity to meet with family and friends. We got to visit all sorts of places, see snow, go for walks, take the kids places we hadn't before. What a blessing.
I've come home and in getting back to life I have lost a bit of time and lost track of things including blogging. Sorry! But it has brought home to me or perhaps just reminded me how important it is to rest.
As authors, especially new ones and aspiring ones, the work seems to be constant. As a publisher or appraiser it isn't much different. All of us Australian Christian authors and artists are struggling against a big world, a lot of people who have been around a lot longer and the challenge in ourselves to do better and better.
But one thing that I know I often forget, and perhaps others do too, is to rest. Take a break sometimes! Write something different for a few hours to break up the process (though perhaps not in the middle of a flow). Go for a walk. Play some games. Take a proper holiday!
What I am learning to do is to take a day off. You know how funny it is to think about how God did that right at the beginning and I always hear how I should rest more! Well I guess it is finally time to listen!
So after having a holiday. It is time for a rest!
And then it is time to get back into it! My prayer for 2012 and moving forward is that by resting more I will have the strength to succeed better in the time I do work. Not sure if that works for others, but we'll see. Blessings!
Wise words. When I first switched to writing full-time, I tried to do it seven days a week (and I mean full days). It didn't work, and I'm sure that showed in what I was writing at the time. It may seem ironic or counter-intuitive that we can achieve more and better by working less, but I'm convinced of it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rochelle,
ReplyDeleteA good reminder.
Rochelle, your post reminded me of Michael Leunig's letter from Mr Curly to Vasco in 'The Curly Pyjama Letters', which I think is a classic! He comments there that if we don't rest, we will become restLESS and urges us to feel our 'noble tiredness'! So important for those of us who feel we always have to be doing something 'productive' and that it's a bit shameful somehow to rest! So glad you had a great holiday.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. We've got to take time out, not ony to refresh ourselves, but be able to give our families some quality time. I know mine get a bit narky when they think I'm ALWAYS at the computer. LOL. A day off every week is very important! :)
ReplyDeleteWe all recognise the signs of fatigue; woolly head, crankiness, the shakes, insomnia or whatever. This is a timely reminder, thanks Rochelle. I'm glad you had a great holiday to remember. I'll have to look up Jo-Anne's reference now, as I like Michael Leunig.
DeleteYes - I need a holiday too. But snow is not my thing - maybe a beach somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI quite enjoyed the snow! But it was hot a week later anyway so the best of both worlds! I am just amazed sometimes by this world God made in all its forms! :)
DeleteI plan on having an ebook published by the middle of the year, but i have not really worked on the novel for about 4 weeks. I have rewrote the beginning with a little more action but that is it. it was only one paragraph.
ReplyDeleteSo the break is good, but the last holiday i went on gave me a little bit of time on was when i wrote the last chapters of my novel. But i guess not having the distractions of home and work gave me a few moments to finish it.
I love holidays to new places as it gives me new settings....
MEL
Rochelle, thanks for the reminder :) I find if I don't rest I get sick, so it's more productive to take time off and get sick less. Glad to hear you had a wonderful holiday.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how we all try to cram as much into life as possible? I haven't been able to fully surrender my Sundays yet, I still tend to find things to do. Perhaps one day.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a great holiday!
Lee
I have decided Thursdays are my day off. Perhaps that is bad, but it seems like it is easier to take a week day off than the weekend with little kids! :) But I think if we cram too much in, perhaps we will get burn out and in the long run do less. So here's to doing more over a longer period??? :) Thanks!
DeleteIt's such a basic truth yet so easily overlooked. Thanks for your reminder Rochelle that we needn't feel guilty, especially as God did and then Jesus also told us to "come apart and rest awhile."
ReplyDelete