This past month, with me being so unwell, I’ve been forced to spend a lot of time resting. It’s not something I’m typically good at doing. Working from home, as I’ve done for many years, there’s always that temptation to do that little bit extra – and though that usually may not be important, on occasions it can have potentially serious consequences. We all need to strike a sensible work–life balance, making proper time on occasions for rest and relaxation. That’s the theme I explore in this session from my 2016 book The Teacher: A Simple Guide to Daily Life.
Rest
I saw a man working all hours of the day – slaving from dawn till dusk – intent on achieving success and indulging himself in riches. But I couldn’t help wondering whether he’d live to see them, or be able to relax enough to enjoy them if he did.
Then I said to the Teacher, ‘Speak to me of work and rest, of getting the balance right.’
And the Teacher answered, ‘Those who work their land will have sufficient for their daily needs; those who fritter away their time are foolish. Hard work brings its own reward.’
I understood, then, that work is not just a necessity but a privilege, for through labour, whatever it may be, we gain dignity, each contributing a thread to the rich tapestry of life. And through our toil we secure not only our daily bread but also our identity, discovering more of who we are.
‘What, then, of rest?’ I asked. ‘Which matters most?’
And the Teacher answered, ‘Better to enjoy a handful with some well-earned rest than to win two handfuls through constant toil; that is ultimately a striving vainly after the wind.’
Then I realised that if work is sacred, so too is leisure, each being part of a life well lived; that there is more to life than the acquisition of possessions or pursuit of success, but more also than rest and relaxation, for just as work without leisure is meaningless toil, so leisure without work is empty indulgence.
And I understood that we must learn the difference between doing enough and doing too much, for if we fail to unwind we will end up no good for anything. Truly, there are times when, however weary we may be and however difficult we find it to continue, we must persevere with the task in hand, seeing it through to completion. But truly, likewise, there are times when, whatever we think needs doing and however vital it may seem, we must learn to let go, or all will pay the price.
Better to leave a job unfinished than be undone by it. Better to have a little in life than no time
truly to live. Better to savour the breeze than chase after the wind.
What I conclude, therefore, is this: do what needs to be done, but recognise also what doesn’t
yet need doing. Make time for work but also for rest, for action but also for reflection, for others
but also for yourself, and learn to keep each in its proper place.