Three Truths About Rest and Taking Time Off

Petit Goave, Haiti - 2011

If you have been following along on Instagram this week, you know it’s been a tough time for me at work. When I first started the engagement I’m currently on, I had no idea it would take the twists and turns it has. I am certain that I am better for this entire experience – I faithfully refer to the whole experience as “character building” – and I am so incredibly thankful for God’s steadfastness during this season.

Going into this project, I knew that I would be going on vacation the last week of September and we’ve had an invisible deadline looming to reflect that reality (as my boss did not want to finish the project without me). However, a couple of weeks in, I was informed by one of my closest friends in the city that she was officially moving back home to Texas and I immediately felt that I should take a second week off to road trip her – both literally and figuratively – into the next season of her life. As soon as that was decided, I set about informing my coworkers of my extended absence.

In an exciting turn of events, a few weeks later my friend accepted a promotion at her current job, canceling our much-anticipated road trip. And yet, I was certain that I was still meant to take that second week off, which has led to me finally following through on plans I have been waiting to “find the time” to do for at least two years!

Just another reminder of how perfect God’s timing really is. There are so many parts of these next two weeks that came together because of something outside of my sphere of influence. These plans are rooted in my faith and relationship with Jesus.

Below I outline the truths that shaped these decisions and why I think it’s important to make the time for rest, adventure, and quality time with loved ones.

Truth #1: We were designed to rest.

It all started way back in Genesis 2:2-3 when it said, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” [emphasis added]. Because we are created in God’s image, it is essential for us to take time to rest as well.

I truly believe that the best kind of rest comes in the aftermath of hard work. Mind you, I wouldn’t say that these past couple of weeks, and this engagement in general, is reflective of how hard I want to work on a regular basis. However, I feel so proud of the effort I’ve made to do my job well and feel deserving of this break.

We all need to give ourselves the time and space to restore ourselves, reflect on our lives, and feel God’s presence and what he’s trying to tell us. Case in point, I intended to write a post about community today and was all ready to post something on it, but through my quiet time journaling with God I felt led to discuss something entirely different and out of “order”. Despite that, God is so good and I feel a tremendous sense of peace with this message.

You deserve rest. You were not made to pour out over and over again without time in His presence, asleep, or in reflection. It is only with rest that we are truly able to bring our full selves back into our work and life.

Truth #2: Professionally speaking, there are wise ways to go about taking time off.

I’d chalk this section up to the career portion of this post. More often than I’d like, I am in a conversation with someone at the Firm or friend outside of work and the topic of not being able to take time off comes up. It is maddening to me that I work and live in a culture where there is a prevailing belief that either we cannot take the days offered or that our career is more important than our rest. There is a underlying, cultural fear that if we take time off we will be viewed as selfish or uncommitted.

I’m not kidding, guys. I think this is absolute mind-boggling. How can our companies give us days off, implying through wellness branding that unplugging is important, only to allow the opposite to persist? Or we take the days but spend it remotely dialing into conference calls and responding to emails. Either way, this saddens me. We end up convinced that we can live without prolonged time away and don’t realize that when that happens we end up functioning on a fraction of our genuine capacity.

When I decided to accept the offer to work in Consulting, it was clear to my heart and spirit that I was being asked to be different. Of course I want to be successful; I want to take pride in my work and accomplishments in that realm. However, I know my ask, and that is to keep my eyes fixed on Christ and be who He is asking me to be no matter what happens. The result might seem insignificant to some, but for me it’s a testament of the fact that I truth God’s word more than the world when it comes to what it takes to achieve long-term success.

If taking a few hours or a day – let alone two weeks! –  feels impossible, take a look at the following things I do to make vacations as seamless and life-giving as possible:

1. Plan Ahead

As soon as I know that I will be out of the office, I make sure everyone is aware. I send emails to the people that need to know, update my work schedule and calendar so it’s blocked, and spread the word casually.

2. Be Firm

Even when my coworkers and friends have the courage to announce their vacation plans, I’ve seen then eventually shift things around or half-work during their “time off”. While there are certainly situations where flexibility is necessary, I try very hard to stay firm with my plans. I buy the ticket and commit to it. I will likely feel guilted by someone with a comment about how “lucky I am that I can take vacation” or the shock in their voice when they ask “you’re going away for two weeks!?” and in those moments I try to be as humble as possible but also firm that yes, I am going for two weeks and I will be back and better than ever upon my return.

3. Anticipate Needs

As it gets closer, I make sure that I know what my project team needs to do in my absence. I then write up a list of to do’s with assigned names to make sure that everyone is aware of what everyone else is responsible for. After that, I debrief the team and walk through the assignments, timing, and chain of command while leaving room to answer any questions they may have. I want to make sure everyone feels comfortable with the assignments, time commitments, reviews, and knows who to go to if they have any questions. I also make sure there is a plan for my return so that we hit the ground running.

4. Honor Your Time Off

Once I’ve put in the time to set everything up, I reaffirm my goal of having a restful break from work. I’ve worked hard to earn my paycheck and the time off, it would be disappointing for me to check emails and respond to things when I’ve asked for this time to recharge. People will likely take the boundaries you offer them. They won’t go out of their way to treat you better than you treat yourself. If you give off the impression that your time is up for grabs despite you being out of the office, they will follow your lead. Do yourself a favor and protect this time that you’ve so carefully carved out for yourself! You will be back in the office and in the swing of things before you know it.

By thinking ahead and making my values clear, I am able to subtly make my contribution to the shift in culture. Will you join me in this effort?

Truth #3: We need to do things that are life-giving and set our souls on fire.

I don’t know about you, but I love to travel. I feel like everyone says that. In this case, I think it’s really true! I am at my best when I’m deeply rooted in routine and community but experience bursts of adventure and newness. If I’m settled into a place for too long, I start to feel restless and antsy. I need to see the beauty of God’s creation, the depth of variety of His people, and to connect with those special people I already have established relationships with across the globe.

The point here is that once you’ve determined that you need rest and you carve out the time and space for it, you need to figure out how to use that time to edify you and honor God. For me, these next couple of weeks will involve soul-searching, fun, laughter, going home, experiencing a new country, and making time for spontaneity. That is what brings me joy and best compliments my life in the city.

Overall, I’m a big believer in crafting a life that we don’t need a vacation from. I don’t need a vacation that is wild and crazy to any degree because my everyday life is generally really, really good. This is more of a special time to invest in specific aspects of my life in order to come back to the city with a renewed sense of self that will propel me to finish my current project with strength, launch me into my new project with a full love and “zealous for life” tank, and reconnect with my friends here with renewed sense of Godly purpose. I also like to figure out what will subtly balance out my life in the city. In this case it’s being in nature, spending time with children and octogenarians, and living without deadlines.

I am looking forward to all that God has in store for me and am so thankful to have the opportunity to reflect on these truths with you all on S+B. It’s only been a short while, but I am already seeing the fruit from my obedience in this endeavor and I am hopeful that as I continue to share, you too feel comfortable getting in on the conversation!

In that vein, how do you rest? What kind of things do you do when you take time away from your day job and daily lives? Do you find it challenging to create space for these kinds of experiences?

Let me know in the comments!