Holding On To Summer

I'm not sure why it took me this long. Here we are, August 21, and summer is almost over. The cooler mornings have me thinking toward Fall and also wondering where the time went? Yesterday, I resolved to spending at least a half hour of my lunch break outside, reading, in the park. Soaking in the warmth and sunlight as much as I can and giving myself a much needed break from my computer. My thought is that ultimately, the time spent away from my desk will actually make me more productive. The importance of mental rest should not be underestimated, which - I'd bet - is part of the reason lunch breaks were invented in the first place (along with the need to nourish the body, of course!).

When I first started work, I promised myself two things - 1) I would make sure I used every vacation day allotted to me and 2) I would always take my lunch break. Seven years later, I've failed repeatedly on both accounts. And it hasn't been at all on my own accord.

When did life get so hectic? And when did employers decide to try to cram 10+ hours of work into 8? Or 7 work days into 5? (And I know that my attorney, doctor, and financial advisor friends scoff at the "minimal" hours that I work compared to their jobs.) If I only worked the 7.5 hours/day that I get paid and actually took every vacation day I'm owed (a whopping 36! which I've accrued based on good performance, promotions and time with the organization), I'm not sure how I would ever get anything done. I'm fairly organized, but not even the most organized could produce this amount of work - of high quality - in that amount of time. You'd have to be superhuman (or the woman on Bewitched).

There's something to be said about the European work environment. August off, flexible work hours... so what if we are a richer country? I bet they live longer.