I Took a Day Off ...

It is strange to just write that title. I took a day off. A whole day without work. What’s more, not only did I take a day off from work, I took a day off from everything. No errands. No doctor’s appointments. No obligations. None. Just a day in the middle of the week with nothing that needs to be done.

Hello My Name is Curt …

And I am a workaholic. Is that even a word anymore? “Workaholic?” In the 80s and 90s it was a term that exploded. It was the golden age of greed. Working professionals wanted everything and were willing to sacrifice everything to get it. American Psycho. Wall Street. Even Trading Places captured the sense of capitalism and consumerism. So the parlance became common for someone who was a compulsive worker.

These were the people that were consumed by work. They came in early. They worked late. They lived for the challenges and loved the rewards. They were people that were addicted to work.

Looking back it was probably an insensitive term. Linking a very real struggle that some people battle to overcome with a lifestyle that one chooses, but is ultimately unhealthy. But hey, those were different times.

I was a kid of the 80s and 90s. I grew up watching all of that happen around me. And eventually, once I started my professional career, I became a workaholic.

Jobs are Like Potato Chips …

What is the old saying about potato chips? “You can’t just stop at one,” I believe is the way it went. Maybe that is a marketing slogan. I don’t know. I guess if I get a cease and desist letter I’ll know then. Regardless of copyright, jobs were like potato chips in my younger years.

From the age of 15 to well into my 30s I almost always had more than one job at any given time. One would be my fulltime job and then I would work any sort, or any number, of part time jobs. It just seemed natural. I had time, so I worked. And let me tell you, that led to a wide range of jobs and experiences that I have had the opportunity to make part of my life.

Working in retail. Working food service. Working in movie theaters. Being a CAD drafter. Being a photographer. Being a car salesman. Being a writer. And now, being an IT manager.

What it didn’t lead to was alot of time to sit and not work. To take days off.

The Way of the Dog …

Let’s take a moment to be clear. I am not saying that I have worked every single day of my life, since the age of fifteen. Which, by the way, is alot of years. Of course I had weekends and holidays and such. But I can say that even when I was home I would check email, look up tutorials, file paperwork, have a doctor’s appointment, or other such obligation. There was just always something to do. And I’m cool with that.

But lately I have been looking at my dogs, Maxx and Trixie. I like to believe that they have good lives. Good food, warm beds, and lots of squeaky toys. And one of their primary preoccupations is relaxation.

I can honestly say that I have never once seen Maxx get up from a nap to check his emails. And he seems happy so I thought I’d give it a shot.

A day without work, appointments, or other work-related obligations has been an experience. At first I was actually quite fidgety. Then, later in the morning, I was able to let all that go and I actually took a nap. I played with my dogs, watched some Netflix, and read a non-work topic book.

I have to say it has been refreshing. I’m not sure I could do it everyday, or even too often. I know that tomorrow I will be back at my desk working the grind. And frankly I am looking forward to it. But, for now, I am glad to sit here writing this post with nothing on my “To Do List” for the day.

Maybe we should all take a moment to listen to our dogs, cats, or fish and try to learn to take a day off. Unless your pet is a hamster. Those little dudes tend to be high strung …