Time-out isn't just for kids

Yesterday, I was sitting in a restaurant waiting for my lunch and overheard a conversation at the next table over.

A man was telling the woman seated next to him that it was hard for him to remember to take time out during the day.

"You really need to take at least an hour a day to do nothing," he was telling her. And then he proceeded to mention that because of that he'd started to watch a sitcom that he remembered he used to like. The shows, he said, come on back-to-back, so he could watch two episodes in an hour. He got his hour. He seemed pleased.

I think it's a good idea to take that hour off during the day. And maybe, once in a while, watching sitcoms is a good use of that time. But I'd also consider using that time for meditation. I'll sometimes get my meditation while riding my bike. I can let my mind wander as I follow the path, wherever it takes me. Sometimes, I get that meditation in the car. I turn off the radio and just focus on the task at hand. I also use cooler mornings to chill out on my back porch, focusing on the birds singing in the trees in my backyard. Sometimes, I can solve a problem this way. Other times, it's the only time of day I can relax and let go the worry of the day.

The importance of the time-out is that it gives you the opportunity to hear your thoughts, to listen to that still quiet voice you may have been ignoring through deadlines, appointments and traffic. It gives you time to consider the meaning of life, whatever that means to you. It lets you connect with your spiritual side, if that's where you need to go in that moment.

This man had it right when he said you really need to do that.

Today, I encourage you to remember to make time for your time-out. I think it's best taken when all is quiet. But if a sitcom encourages you to do nothing, then that's a good idea, too!

All my best,
Jackie