Wikipedia defines Labour Day as, "An annual holiday to recognize workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest."
If you were to ask most people, including yourself, I think you would find whether working at home and/or the office that you can easily put in an eight hour day and often, longer.
Some will say they can even do eight hours of recreation depending on what they are doing, but most times it is spread out over the week or when they are on a holiday.
To have eight hours of rest though is quite a different story.
If you are lucky, you have eight hours of sleep most nights, but to take that many hours for rest without sleeping or being on vacation or forced to take it because of an illness or accident, is it possible?
Yes, it is possible; that is what a day of rest means.
The problem lies in that when you have a day of leisure it is being filled with all the things you haven't done and it soon becomes a day of catch up on that list of things to do rather than a day to do nothing at all. Does this sound familiar?
So how many hours a day or in a week do you rest? I don't mean at night when you are asleep either.
Is there a balance of the hours of work you put in at the office, or working around home, or being busy doing for others, or trying to get as much done as possible, and the time you take off for you to relax?
You may love the work you are doing and it may be relaxing and/or not feel like work at all, but
that doesn't mean you can't take time off for you and reap the benefits from a day of leisure also.
How often do you just sit back, put your feet up, and sigh as you take in a few deep breaths while watching the world go by?
Is there balance in your labour and leisure during the week?
You don't have to take eight hours a day to relax as that is a little unrealistic, but it is important to make some time to just "be".
Time to stretch out, or curl up, and take a look around at all that you have or are accomplishing in your life. I think you might be surprised that it's more than you think.
You may be burning the candle at both ends and not even realize how much you have been doing. Well, it's time to blow one of them out.
You give a lot of yourself and your time during the week and it's time to give a little back to you.
Finding a balance between work and rest isn't always easy and therefore you have to make relaxation a priority as much as everything else is.
You have to look at your calendar each week and see where you can make time for your leisure. Hopefully there is time in each day where you can relax. If not, then at least once one day a week.
When you make time for you to do nothing at all you are recharging your body, mind, and spirit.
Enjoy your time off by doing nothing at all, or doing something relaxing, you deserve it.
I love the sign "Gone Fishing", especially if it's on a place of business.
Whether you are actually out there fishing or just taking a day off from everything, there is an enjoyment, a simplicity, a relaxation, a back to the basics and a natural, leisurely feeling in those words.
Although, I myself am not a fisher-woman and may not choose to go fishing on my day off, the words still have a feeling of peacefulness to them and reminds me about taking time out of my busy life to relax and enjoy time during the day or evening.
You are the only one who can define what the balance between labour and leisure is for you, as well as how much time you will or won't take for relaxing.
Remember what's important at the end of the day; how much you did or how much you enjoyed.
Do you feel relaxed or stressed? This is always a good indication of whether there is a balance of work and leisure in your life.
It's not about the quantity of time you are taking, but rather the quality of that time.
Where can you hang a "Gone Fishing" sign on your week and find the balance between labour and leisure and reap the fruits of your labour with a heart of gratitude?
The question is, will you hang the sign and make the time?
Use these techniques to assist you in learning ways to relax and enjoy your life more.
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Kimberley Cohen is the Founder, Facilitator and Personal Insight Coach of The Insight Technique. She founded the Insight Technique - Your Insight to genuine Happiness, Purpose and Prosperity to assist herself and others in transforming limiting mindsets.
Soar through the limiting beliefs holding you back and experience the freedom of unlimited possibilities. http://www.TheInsightTechnique.com
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