“It is more productive to work seven days than it is to work three.” This is a belief consciously & subconsciously held in our society. To start, this illuminates society’s strong value of productivity. Second, it assumes the more time we work, the more we will get done. I wish to debate this - in opinion, and representation.
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My schedule includes two days off. Not two days “kind of” off, not sorta weekends but also if I need to reply to one email that’s okay… Two. Days. OFF. These are by far the hardest days of my week; I have been programmed to fill all hours with “productivity” - my interpreted expectation from society.
In grad school, I was told by an advisor that I was one of the most “well-rounded” students to enter the program. I believe her statement pointed to the fact that I intentionally turned down extra projects, reserved time for leisure (read blog 22: How Voice Lessons Changed my Life), and questioned university expectations. Distinctly, I remember one moment in our introductory course when I asked for advice on how to prioritize our full course load, personal thesis research, and contribution to a research lab. The answer was a chuckle: “Everything is top priority.”
This did not make sense. In fact, it was impossible. And my prioritization list didn’t even include basic essentials: exercise, eating well, sleep, social connection. Although I recognize graduate school to be an intentionally challenging endeavor, what struck me most about the mindset I encountered at my graduate institution was its direct opposition to the research and teachings in which we were involved. Every individual in my program was a positive psychology scholar - we knew precisely the elements required to live a good & well life, and working relentlessly every day to meet overwhelming expectations is not included in that formula. (Mental illness is disproportionately high at the graduate level.)
Some of you may know this part of my alignment journey already (learn more about my story here). In short, I ultimately left the PhD program even though I adored my colleagues and the field of positive psychology. I learned an incredible amount during my time at CGU - all of which I am extremely grateful for. One of my big takeaways, however, was my determined stance to live positive psychology, rather than kill myself by studying it. In hindsight, I think my tenacity to live was what my professor recognized as “well-balanced.”
So let’s circle back to the two hardest days of my week: my days off. This is living positive psychology. It is essential for humans to rest - and it is essential for humans to experience LIFE: nature, casual interactions, intimate connection, movement, hobbies, creativity, play. Yet somewhere along the lines, we lost our appreciation of these elements.
My two days off each week are onerous because I am actively working to shift the mindset that I am “lazy” because of these days - that I am missing productive time, that I am behind or that I am not enough. And. My days off are also the most valuable days of my week. I find myself bored, and thus seek new hobbies. I go for a walk, witness the beauty of my city, and recognize a need in my community I had previously missed. I play my guitar and sing loud - practicing the courage I will utilize at my next presentation. I chat with a man in the grocery store for a half hour just because I have no where else to be, and we develop a valuable connection.
My two days off are also challenging because I FIGHT the urge to work; the love I have for Yes& is bursting. That energy - intentionally held back like water at a dam - is then released in passionate fury the next day. My productivity sky rockets - because I’ve ached to work the whole day prior, because I jotted down tens of new ideas as I experienced life in my off time, because I don’t allow myself to procrastinate into the weekend.
And beyond productivity, I find value in my two days off because they foster a more full experience of my authentic life, within & beyond work. I find value because I am going to die - as are you - and what an effing shame if I died still in battle with the idea that simply living my authentic life was not “enough.”
It kills me to see others killing themselves over a belief that serves us sometimes, but not always. “It is more productive to work seven days than it is to work three.” Is it? What if time off fostered more productivity during time on? And is productivity a value of yours, or that of someone else?
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As one of my favorite teachers said: take what you need, leave what you don’t. If you’re curious, incorporate even one hour of complete OFF into your day. Be in the experiment & trust what works for you.
