Today, between seeing clients and writing I decided to head out into the sunshine that has just hit the UK after a period of cold and snow. I has been resisting going outside, determined to power on and do all the things I wanted to do but eventually realised it was time for a break and to recharge. I had a walk and sat down on a bench to soak up some rays. All around me people were out, enjoying the afternoon sun, playing frisbee, drinking beer and generally enjoying life. Once I got into it, it was wonderful to just be in the moment and press pause and it reminded me of the importance of just being (rather than always doing).
My husband recently came across a word, neither of us had heard before, which fits in perfectly here:
The Italian verb 'asolare' means 'to pass time in a meaningless but delightful way'.
What a wonderful word!
So, if like me, you need to remind yourself to relax and pause at times for some ‘asolare’, here are a few ideas:
Drop the Guilt
Many of us are very good at guilt tripping ourselves. We ‘should’ be ‘doing’ xyz. Drop the guilt and the ‘shoulds’ and allow yourself time to relax and just enjoy the moment.
Schedule
It might sound contrary to suggest scheduling some time to do nothing, but it is a great thing to do if you find it hard to unplug. It means that you can have guilt and obligation free time to switch off and just enjoy the moment. Many of us have a strange notion that we have to be doing something all the time and if that’s the
Get Organized
The more organized I am, the more time I have to slow down and smell the roses when I need to. I used to think being organized was boring and unnecessary but am a convert these days! Get things in order and then give yourself some downtime to reward yourself.
Enjoy
Most importantly, enjoy. Today when I sat in the sunshine with the rays on my face, I enjoyed just sitting and being where I was – it was really great!
When was the last time you took some ‘asolare’?
Photo by Digital Wallpapers on Flickr.
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Inspiring post. I am sure after all these points we can easily make ourself busy and also enjoy free time in organized way. printer toners
ReplyDeleteThanks Reeha - it's all about balance isn't it? :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful word. I love the Italians for that (and their food) :)
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with you about being organised, Jen! For creative people, having structure (within their schedule to allow for creative windows) can be one of the most powerful moves to make.
Equally, creating windows of time (even instantaneously if a piece of work gets finished all the quicker) to relax, enjoy and engage - refuel - and create the opportunity to gain fresh inspiration can be one of the more simple yet most powerful moments of our everyday schedule I feel.
It's great isn't it Rob? :)
ReplyDeleteCreative structure has made a huge difference in my life too Rob. I like what you share about creating 'windows of time' - so important! I'm off to do that now ... :)