Scheduled Time for ‘Chillin’’

Summary

The text describes a weekly ritual of unplugging from work and digital distractions to enjoy a period of restorative leisure, termed 'scheduled unscheduled time.'

Abstract

The author, Thalia Dunn, shares a personal approach to maintaining work-life balance by dedicating a specific time each week to step away from all work-related activities. This 'chillin'' time is intentionally left open without plans, allowing for activities like walking in the woods, visiting a bakery, or observing nature, which help clear the mind, reduce stress, and rejuvenate the spirit. The practice is seen as a necessary counterbalance to the demands of work and a means to maintain mental and emotional well-being.

Opinions

The author values the importance of regularly scheduled downtime to maintain personal balance.
Doing nothing is recognized as a challenge but is considered essential for mental health.
Work-related ideas that emerge during this time are actively dismissed to preserve the sanctity of the respite.
There is an emphasis on the difficulty of truly disconnecting and the discipline required to say 'no' to work.
The ritual is described as 'sacred,' indicating its significance in the author's life.
The author believes in the restorative power of nature and unplanned activities during this time.
This practice is seen as a vital self-care strategy that provides the energy needed to face the upcoming workweek.

Response for scheduling ‘unscheduled time’

I toss my phone into a drawer each Sunday to begin my scheduled respite, my weekly ‘chill’ to get back to balance, with no texts or emails, no work or lesson planning, saying ‘no’ to anything which pulls me out of my scheduled time to do nothing.

Work can wait.

Doing nothing is harder than it sounds and when work ideas try to surface, I have learned to hold up my hand saying ‘no, no work for now.”

This hallowed block of morning time gives me space to breathe and then breathe deeper,

to walk in the woods and maybe get lost,

to wander over to the neighborhood bakery or head to the canal to commune with the ducks, nothing planned, just open to the day.

What I do, or not do, stems from the mandate to honor the balance between work and rest.

This scheduled ‘unscheduled time” is a saving grace to empty my mind, to open my heart and let stillness or beauty or sounds of nature wash over me;

for this is sacred time, sitting here in the sun as the moments of this day clear away tiny stresses, lighten nagging worries and soothe tightened shoulders,

refreshing me with new energy to keep going until next week’s scheduled “unscheduled time”.

CHALLENGE

Scheduled Time for ‘Chillin’’

Response for scheduling ‘unscheduled time’