This morning I woke up and wondered what day it was and what I had to do. Then I wondered if it might be a day off. I am never quite sure, you see. It’s about eight years since I had a traditional, Monday to Friday job, and now that I wear several ‘working’ hats I am always conscious that when I am concentrating on one area of contribution it feels as if I am neglecting the others.
For me these days, every day begins with meditation, but how long I sit for depends on what needs to happen during the day ahead. This morning I had the luxury of spending rather more than an hour in blissful peace and following it with a little yoga. Then visited my mother and took my Golden Retriever, Alfie, round the fields near my home. As you can see, I am very lucky to be surrounded by beautiful countryside. So perhaps, given that there is no time off from a 30 day blogging challenge, this is indeed a day off.
I am a little bit more sure of that than usual because I have a commitment this evening which means that, even if I receive an emergency call, I can’t rush off to work in a police station. (I’m a solicitor in criminal practice – if you want to look me up you’ll need to know I practise as Harriet Balcombe). Many of my friends and family are still trying to get their heads around the way my professional job works; sometimes I have appointments made in advance, but I never know how long the attendance will last, but often the first I know of a job is the phone call I receive, frequently in the middle of the night, telling me that someone has been arrested and wants my assistance. If I accept the job, I am committed to go to the station when the police are ready, and to stay as long as necessary. This means that I am regularly found driving home from work long after midnight. The latest I have got home is 6am but I am lucky; being self-employed and part-time I could catch a few hours’ sleep. My full-time employed colleagues would likely be due in Court at 9am the same day!
And this is why, if you know me personally, you may well have seen me go a bit blank when someone asks whether I will have any free time next week. Usually I don’t know if I have free time until after I have had it. What an odd way to work, you may comment. I might well agree with you. What makes it not just bearable, but very satisfying, is the variety, the intellectual challenge and the sense of contribution. Having said all that, my sector of the profession is in crisis and if you would like to know more have a look at some articles I retweeted this morning (@harrietewstack).
This strange and unpredictable working life is just one reason why I always have to ask myself what the day might bring in the morning, and why it is tricky to take proper days off. A regular meditation practice and conscientious arrangement of my priorities really help to keep me calm and happy despite the uncertainty and I can’t imagine running my life without these habits. But giving myself proper ‘down-time’ is something I am working on and perhaps I’ll have more to say on the subject later in the month.
Do you take proper days off? Do you find it difficult to put down all your different work projects? Do let me know in the comments. And if you would like to keep in touch please sign up for the newsletter using the link below.
