Work Hard/Play Hard, or just Work Hard?
Work hard/play hard started out FUN. Right after college I wanted to travel, but I couldn’t afford to go backpacking across Europe like some of my friends, so I got a job on a cruise ship. I created the newsletters that passengers receive nightly under their door. Once I arrived, I found out that in addition to my newsletter responsibilities, I would also be the assistant to the Captain, Staff Captain, and Hotel Manager. I worked long hours and even allowed myself some minor degrading by the male officers on the ship (don’t try this at home). But, the payoff….I experienced tropical islands, icebergs in Alaska, traveled through the Bermuda triangle, passed through the locks of the Panama Canal. And, even better than the sites, I developed great friendships, some that are still entact almost 30 years later. For a long time, I belived that I would never have been able to receive all of this without the hard work and long hours that I logged.
In my late 20’s and early 30’s I had the opportunity to run large-scale sporting events. I pulled all-nighters at the office to meet a deadline or reach a goal for my organization. Sometimes there were others with me that made it fun, sometimes I was by myself. But, after each big milestone I took a break. I traveled to Belize with my family after one large event and spent a month solo in Mexico taking Spanish lessons after the other event.
The problem is, somewhere along the way I forgot about the ‘play hard’. The hard work had equated to success for me, so I just kept pushing harder. I got better jobs, bigger promotions with pay raises, but found myself not having time to do the things that I had been working hard to spend my time and money on. I believe there is a balance that can be found. It starts by getting quiet and allowing yourself time to reflect and listen to what your body, mind and soul are telling you that they need.
If any of this resonates with you and I can help you along your journey, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
With Love,
Wendy
