Silence can be deafening … especially from a blog! Unfortunately, my vow to lead a more balanced and less stressful life hasn’t worked out as well as I had hoped (at least at this moment in time). Once again, I find myself buried in work with hardly enough time to breathe, much less write. Too many plans with friends and my husband have been cancelled as a result. I’m not going to lie, it’s a challenging time for me.
For better or for worse, my husband is currently experiencing a similar level of demands on his time and the associated stress that goes with it, so we understand the insanity as well as the “necessity” to have the laptop out at all times. Usually, one of us is slammed while the other has some downtime. Of course what we really need is to coordinate our downtime!
Sometimes I wonder if it’s a blessing or a curse to be a part of a couple with similar job demands and the requirement for constant connectivity. On the one hand, it’s good to have someone who understands why you need to check BlackBerry every couple of minutes when you’re out for your anniversary dinner, or why you have to take a work call on a Saturday. I am sure for the half of a couple who isn’t used to having a mobile device surgically attached to his or her hand and doesn’t have the implied expectation of 24×7 availability, it can be extremely frustrating to observe.
On the other hand, perhaps it would be better to have the reminder that sometimes, you just need to put down the computer and be together with your spouse or your family. Re-prioritize and find a little more balance. Clearly I don’t have children who are dictating my schedule and availability – but that shouldn’t mean that my “personal” time with family and friends is any less valuable. While I’m sure that having someone glaring at me in frustration wouldn’t be the best thing for my stress level, the guilt would be enough to have me switch gears.
With the holidays approaching, hopefully things will calm down enough for me to take a deep breath and re-focus on what is most important. In case you were wondering, that would be me!
I understand exactly what you’re talking about. Even as a writer, the stress of finishing up a book or working against a tight deadline is maddening and I have been wildly tempted to just give my life over to the demands of the work. But I made a little pact with myself not long ago. Whenever I’m in the same room with Ian, the cell is off and the laptop is asleep. Turning down the technology for a little of the good life. I’d like to hope, when my time comes to shuffle off this mortal plane, that “for better or worse” rings closer to the “better” than to the “worse.”
Thanks for the timely reminder!
Anne
Sometimes we leave the house without cell phones. I’m not going to lie, it’s scary at first and then you realize that the time is just for you and your loved one and its amazing.