My head was spinning with all the “stuff” I needed to get accomplished today. My “to do” list was unusually long and I was trying to not feel overwhelmed. It was one of those days where you have trouble deciding just where to begin.
I’m sure you’ve been in my shoes before. There’s a good chance that you have a million things to get done as well. In spite of this situation I found myself in, I wanted to share with you how I ended up spending my morning.
When I woke up this morning, I realized that we had received quite a bit of snow. The driveway needed to be shoveled and I was the only one in the house that could do it (Miles the Pug wasn’t volunteering). So, after having my coffee and breakfast, I bundled up with all my layers and ventured outside with Miles to do some shoveling. I hadn’t worked more than 10 minutes before my next-door neighbor and his three kids insisted on coming over and helping me. He had a snow blower, which made the job much, much easier.
Miles was more than happy to see the kids. The whole family got busy working hard on my driveway. During the process, 5-year-old Logan’s ears got cold, so I helped him put on his hood. The girls chattered away about snow days and life. I burst their bubble by reminding them that they weren’t going to get another snow day and how they better do their homework.
When they moved on to shovel another driveway, I called my friend and asked her if she wanted to go for a walk in the snow. We walked for 90 minutes, trudging through the deep snowdrifts. We marveled at the way everything looked so beautiful.
I had many, many things to do. It was pretty indulgent of me to go for that walk and just enjoy myself. I really should have been sitting in front of my computer, getting more of my paperwork done. However, something about listening to the kids conversations and being with them made me realize that I needed to enjoy myself in the winter wonderland. The pure pleasure they had, the excitement that it was a snow day, and the huge smiles on their faces took me back to when I was young. I wanted to enjoy the snow and have as much fun as them!
Now the story could have ended with me going back to work, feeling guilty for taking the time to play when I should have been responsible and working. I could have spent the whole day in a funk, thinking about how I let myself down. But I didn’t. I came back from my walk feeling alive and energetic. The irony is that when I got back to my desk, I was very productive, creative and focused. And that’s exactly why I’m sharing this story.
If you don’t watch it, you can get stuck in the rut of work, routine and responsibility. You can stay there so long that you forget how to have fun. You have to realize that there are times where you just need to appreciate the moment. The work will always be waiting for you when you get back. And it just might change your whole perspective.