All living beings in creation have been pre-programmed to balance work and rest. Even the hard-working ant and the alert watch-dog rest.
Sleep, especially at night, rejuvenates and refreshes us so we can work with energy and enthusiasm during the day.
With the discovery of electricity we have now lit up our nights with day-like brightness. We play night cricket, go for all night parties, indulge in late night TV watching, study, eat, work and socialize. This artificial life-style has had its toll on our body and mind. We feel exhausted, irritable and inefficient throughout the day.
We have before us enough stories of so-called high achievers. We hear of young CEOs with huge pay packets – jet-setting around the world, working round the clock and their success stories are featured in top business magazines. Many of them suffer from peptic ulcers, become workaholics, are always under tension and very soon get ‘burnt out’ or talk of retiring by thirty. Doctors warn them to slow down and when they do not do so, their health grounds them.
Strangely no one except the boss is happy with someone who works all the time. Such people are in constant stress, their family is dissatisfied, the children never see the parent and the spouse is disgruntled. Colleagues in office are envious and friends are non-existent. What is the use of success when there is no happiness, peace, health or harmony in our life?
Some people do not know how to rest or relax. They are by nature restless and agitated. This makes them do something all the time. Some feel that only if they do something all the time will they be called productive and efficient and that remaining always in action mode will make them successful. Remember, work never gets ‘finished’.
It only ‘finishes’ us. Also we will never be ‘given’ rest- time. We have to ‘take out’ rest-time. We have to ‘make time’ or take ‘time out’.
In conclusion – Do not work ‘restlessly’ or with less rest and also do not rest ‘worklessly’ or with less work. The body and mind will be of no use if we misuse, abuse or disuse them. They should be used well for peak performance.