Balancing Work and Relaxation

April 29, 2008

Where do you work these days? Half my friends have changed their jobs at least once
in the last 5 years. A few hundred years ago, most people spent their lives carrying on
exactly the same work their families did for generations. Now who of us makes a living
the way our parents did? Grandparents?

Today we’re flexible and adaptable. We can travel anywhere in the world and network
with cell phones and text messages wherever we go. We can find wireless internet nearly
everywhere, and our opportunities for work and play are growing every day.

Though we live in the heart of this whirlwind, we can barely glimpse what’s at stake with
each change. I think the more things change around us, the more essential balancing work
and play becomes for living well.

Americans believe hard work pays off, and for years I’ve said “The harder I work, the
harder I must relax.” Recently I began saying, “Less time with the mouse, more time
with the spouse”, so my wife and I just left town for a refreshing break in the routine.

What an eye-opener! Driving across the country, checking out the local sights and
listening to local talk radio, we rediscovered what a diverse and innovative area we
call home. People in most of the regions we visited seem to live closer to their roots
— both geographical and cultural. It seems to me that here in the Bay Area we are more
ready to overpromise, overwork, and tolerate a broader range of acceptable ideas.

All of us strive to preserve cherished notions and improve outmoded ones. And it’s not
just about the popular “conservative” or “liberal” ideas. In our changing world, we
continually rebalance our attitudes about work and play. Whatever we consider most
important always merits most of our attention, and, lest we paint ourselves into a corner,
we often need to get out for some fresh air.

Don’t get me wrong -- I love my job, and I'm definitely not about to quit. But even in the
busiest times I always need to be relaxed, fresh, and ready to do my best. For years I’ve
worked as many days as possible, and today I believe more than ever that working hard
means you’re earning your time off.

We’re so lucky that Silicon Valley is blessed with so many opportunities to work and to
play. How are you doing? Is a milestone event coming up in your life? Pause a few moments
to consider your good fortune and celebrate. Maybe have a party and hire a band.

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