Tag Archives: rest

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The Job You Really Want

I have a theory that we all have an idea of a job we’d do if money wasn’t a thing. A fun job, a meaningless job, a flexible job, or even a non-job — we’d take the role if offered. When I was younger (much younger), that job for me was living in a log cabin in the country with a lot of land. I grew up in the country and our home was far out from the city and suburbs. Big open areas and starry skies with quiet nights were a frequent occurrence. Plus, and most importantly, I read ALL the books in the Little House on the Prairie series. I was just convinced at the tender age of 7 that the way to go was living off the grid. I was enthralled with the stories of homesteaders and settlers who went West looking for new opportunities. It seemed like fun and I loved animals so riding horses all day sounded amazing. 

I wanted to travel and get paid for it. Once upon a time I was stuck in a (literal) cubicle job and had some down time on my hands. I knew that I needed something different and that office life wasn’t something I wanted long term. I was (surprisingly) able to find a whole other career field where I combined my education with my desire to travel and I spent four years on the road. It was a good experience overall and I got to see a part of the country I never anticipated visiting. “Yay” for trying something different.

The today version of me would like to be a stocker at my favorite candle store. It would (hypothetically) be very low stress filled with good smells and bright colors. I wouldn’t have to stress about where to put things and I’d just follow the pattern I’d been given. I could carefully organize the candles ensuring that each label is facing forward. It would be nice. I’d learn more about fragrances and would appreciate the routine of creating the displays. Now, because this is a purely hypothetical scenario, I’d want to be able to work whenever I wanted. Two hours, four hours, eight hours, whatever I wanted to do. It would be chill and I could use my employee discount to really create my own extensive candle collection. Then, when I had enough candles, I’d quietly submit my resignation thanking the company for the opportunity. Actually, I’d probably start thinking about what else I wanted to stock up on in my house. Maybe a furniture store. 

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Nap Time

When I was a little kid, the time of day that I absolutely hated was nap time. It was between the hours of 11 and 12noon. I quickly realized that nap time was more for my mother’s benefit than anything else because she was trying to get us all on a schedule and she was the primary caregiver for 4 kids under the age of 6 with the youngest being a newborn. I remember complaining bitterly about why I should be allowed to stay up to no avail. I was admonished time after time that one day I would wish I could take a nap but wouldn’t be able to. I adamantly insisted that would never be my story. Naps were for people who didn’t have a good book to read or were tired all the time and I had no use for them. Fast forward a few years later to the rigors of high school–the homeschooled version. I quickly discovered the power of a quick nap due to being a night owl. Also, it was a break from the self paced work which was mind numbingly boring most of the time. The practice of afternoon naps continued through college where I took ten minute power naps in between classes. This was especially helpful to my sanity the year I took 19 credit hours, worked two jobs, and went to bed at 2am or later 5 nights per week. Fast forward to last year where I was working in a job from hell. Well, not LITERALLY hell but pretty close to what I would imagine it to be with traditional work hours. While it was meaningful and in my field I missed having flexibility. A typical job where you worked 8 hours straight without a lunch break was not my cup of tea. I didn’t have the luxury of afternoon naps and I missed it. I’ve come to have a very healthy appreciation for naps due to my newfound inability to sleep more than five hours at a time. There’s nothing like the mental clarity that occurs after you’ve gotten a quick moment to sleep and recharge.  I admit I think that people would be a lot happier if they were allowed to take a quick nap during the workday. We already know that most people don’t get nearly the amount of sleep that’s typically recommended. How nice would it be to have a mandatory nap time built into the work day? I for one would be all for it.