Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Shrinking the Camel

Home
Careers, Workplace and Religion
It’s Almost Summer. Are You Having Fun Yet?

It’s Almost Summer. Are You Having Fun Yet?

Last updated on: May 21, 2012 at 5:14 am by JBW

It’s Almost Summer. Are You Having Fun Yet? 2012-05-21T05:14:04-05:00 JBW

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I once did an exercise for a leadership coach where he asked me to write out a vivid description of my ideal life in the future. It was one of those visioning-things, which is supposed to force you to come to grips with your enormous potential for achieving super-sized goals in life.

I obediently wrote it all down, and upon reading it, my leadership coach simply said, “It all sounds very nice, but where’s the fun in this?”

“Fun?” I replied with a twisted neck. “You didn’t say anything about fun! My future is serious business, man!”

He caught me.

Apparently, I was taking my career far too seriously. I had to go back and rewrite it with a greater emphasis on having fun in life.

“How would you define fun?” I asked before he left. I wanted to make sure that I got it right.

This was not a good sign.

For some reason I had gotten into the bad habit of downplaying the lighter side of life, spending far too much time thinking about all of my responsibilities, my work, and the infinite number of chores and errands that must be done when I get home. If ever I tried to relax a bit, that abusive little voice in my head would tell me what a slacker I am.

“You can’t leave work already! It’s only been 10 hours today!”

“Don’t even think about taking a nap! Do you honestly think Jack Welsh ever took a nap? Now there was a real leader!”

“Put down that book! You could be working on your next blog post!”

I’m not at all sure where this comes from. Perhaps it’s just the wet towel-snap of the good old Protestant work ethic. Or possibly it stems from that ill-tempered swim coach I had when I was ten years old:

“I have a cramp, coach! Can I take a breather for a few minutes? Pl- ea-hea-hease?”

“Get back in there and swim it off, you panty-waist!” he would bark back at me from the pool deck. “And give me another 500 yards, right now!”

Or, maybe it’s a backlash of guilt from actually slacking off and avoiding all labor whatsover from the time I was 15 until I was 23.

In any case, I was sitting down with my wife the other day looking at the summer calendar. We were making sure we had all the obligations taken care of, and, other than our sacred one-week family vacation, there wasn’t much recreation to speak of. Watching the entire summer unfolding before me in a scattering of scribbles over three calendar pages, I stopped short and said, “Where’s the fun in this? It’s summer, for goodness sake!”

Unless we take some initiative to plan for some fun activities, the whole summer will go by in a flash. Then I’ll find myself sitting there one day in the Autumn chill wondering where it all went.

So why not engineer a more enjoyable summer? All I need to do is apply that same vigorous work ethic to the prospect of having more fun! I’ll show those staunch-mouthed Protestants.

I did exactly that, and here’s what’s on deck so far: A Radiohead concert for the entire family; a weekend in New York City; A getaway to New England so we can eat at our favorite fried clam restaurant; a cooking class; and lots of forced down time at home to do nothing but read and relax.

I’m already starting to have fun, just thinking about it.

Are you planning to have enough fun this summer?

Family

Work-Life Balance

Having fun

Protestant Work Ethic

Summer

vacation

Previous Post

May 15, 2012

Do You Have a Job, a Career, or a Calling?

Next Post

May 25, 2012 Don't Let These Three Fears Drive Your Decisions

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Ambition Blogging Career Culture Executive Career Development Failure Faith in the Workplace Family Feeling Stupid Leadership Managing People Purpose Reviews Spirituality Uncategorized Work-Life Balance

Select a Month November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both ___________.

Select your answer to see how you score.

Masters Yourself and God God and Money God and Anyone Else