But at my back I always hear
Time’s winged chariot hurrying near
Andrew Marvell – To His Coy Mistress
It’s about 20 years since I worked a conventional Monday to Friday week. Since then, I’ve always worked at weekends, late at night or without a fixed schedule at all. Now, my week starts on Monday afternoon and finishes sometime on Saturday afternoon. My ‘weekend’ is Sunday, plus Monday morning. That time is very precious. I try not to spend all of it doing housework and shopping!
One of the best things about a Sunday is not having to watch the time. Today (Sunday), I walked alongside the marshes and I didn’t know what the time was. It didn’t matter because no one was expecting me to show up anywhere at a particular time.
I remember, many years ago, reading that we shouldn’t look at our watches too much because it causes stress, which is bad for us. I am one of those people who still wears a watch, because it seems cumbersome to get my phone out every time I want to know the time. I probably do look at it too often. And I do think that most of us are ruled by the time, probably much more than when I first read that piece of advice.
My weekend, short as it is, gives me time to reset. I shut my office door, and I only work if it’s absolutely necessary. Getting outside is important, as is spending time with friends and, sometimes, having adventures.
Marvell’s winged chariot is never far away, but it’s good to ignore it regularly!
