When I was a kid, we used to wake up on Saturday mornings and watch the Saturday morning cartoon. Josie and the pussycats, Alvin and the chipmunk, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Batman, Spider-man, X-Men, and so many more. My point is this, having the opportunity to wake up on a Saturday morning and just to have mindless fun was always the goal! After we would watch cartoons, we would go outside and play basketball, or sometimes we would ride bikes with our cousins or even just play some Nintendo or whatever other console we could get our hands-on. It seems as though the older we get, the farther away we get from mindless fun.
Rise and Grind.
You wake up every morning and go to work. Sometimes you burn the midnight oil just trying to make your goals a reality. But when was the last time you gave yourself permission to have mindless fun?
You go through all of your emails and complete all of the projects just to set another target, and another target, and another, and…. you get the point. But think about this, teachers have an offseason, sports athletes have an offseason, combat athletes have downtime, but when is your offseason? When is it okay for you to have downtime?
Rise.
Grind.
Repeat? All business no play makes for a full day.
But what's the ROI?
Focusing on only the things you have to do can create a stressful environment as you are on the journey and trying to pivot and maneuver in the face of every challenge.
"How do I cope with stress? I clean and organize." - Sandra Lee
Focused on where you want to be is a quick way to overlook and undervalue where you are. Don't forget to smell the roses, but to do that; you have to be willing to pause.
"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." - Albert Schweitzer
The solution to your unresolved challenge could be hidden in a moment of mindless fun. It's the moment that you walk away from the monitor and get fresh air when you find clarity.
"Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work." —Ralph Marston.
Between the hustle and bustle of the long to-do list, we must prioritize disconnecting and having fun. As a kid, having fun is the only mission we have. But along the way, we left fun behind. I can still remember us waking up early, my siblings and I, just to make sure we could set the TV to Saturday Morning Cartoons. And I get it, cartoons may not be it for you, but find what is and make sure to make time for it.
I’m Miguel, and the above is just my opinion. Are you looking for more content like this? Here’s a complete list of articles and information for a free 30 Minute strategy session. Here's what I’m doing now and what I don’t do. I’d love it if you listened to my podcast, Strategy Rewind.
