A Holiday Worth Taking Time For
By Rebeldad Brian Reid
Of all of the ginned up holidays, next Tuesday is one of my favorites. It's Take Back Your Time Day, and if you haven't heard about it, it's probably because the folks at Hallmark haven't figured out how to make card for it yet.
The underlying rationale is simple: We're working way too much and need some perspective. While the folks behind Take Back Your Time Day have a bunch of smart policy suggestions (more vacation, guaranteed sick time, paid family leave), that's not what sets them apart. What I really like is their call to step back and reflect on the craziness that is daily life:
The main goal of TAKE BACK YOUR TIME DAY is to call attention to the problem and begin the public conversation about what to do about it. Some of the solutions will be personal, each in our own lives. Others will be cultural, as we evolve new norms about life balance. Still others will involve voluntary changes in the workplace and children's activity programs, or changes through collective bargaining agreements.
The timeday.org Web site is a trove of interesting things (I'm particularly enamored with the "Adult Playground Rules" poster), but the element of the campaign that I intend to take to heart is the "Four Windows of Time" movement. Here's how it works: You commit to blocking off four time periods between now and the end of the year "for slow, quiet, life-renewing activities, as an individual or with your family."
My first reaction, of course, was that I am sure to fall into at least four empty time periods over the next 10 weeks in which I can slow down, and I certainly don't need a Take Back Your Time Day to make it happen. But the more I think about it, there's a lot of wisdom in setting aside the time now. Because my days are never as empty as they ought to be, and even lazy days have a way of filling up.
Brian Reid writes about parenting and work-family balance. You can read his blog at rebeldad.com.
By Brian Reid |
October 19, 2006; 7:30 AM ET
| Category:
Flexibility
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