It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one having a hard time managing work and email and down-time. Mark Bittman’s* idea of a secular sabbath is an intriguing one. My first reaction was that I need one “unplugged” day each week and that Saturdays might be preferable to Sundays – so I can do that whole “prep for the week” thing on Sundays. But the quote from David Levy stood out in my mind, ““Who would say you don’t need time to think, to reflect, to be successful and productive?” Then I started thinking that unplugging doesn’t necessarily need to happen during the weekends. A radical idea: what about taking an unplugged WORKING day? Say Tuesdays? So I’d devote an entire day each week to the kind of work (reading, writing with a pen, brainstorming new ideas…) that tends to get squeezed out when I have my email open all day long. A day for my own work. On the clock. I’m thinking seriously about it.
*Is MB taking over the NYT or what?
March 5, 2008 at 8:33 pm
[...] a quick break, catching up on the socio-blogosphere, and here I see this link to a NYT article on The Public And The Private about observing a secular sabbath. The idea is that you pick one day a week to sort of unplug and [...]
March 5, 2008 at 9:33 pm
I’ve been unplugged from the computer (nothing else) for about 6 hours every Saturday morning since Jan 1, when I made that resolution. It was tough at first, but now it’s just getting to be another part of my schedule. Perhaps I should expand to an entire day…
It’s funny, because when I hear the term “secular sabbatical” my first thought is “a day of no work,” not “a day of no technology.”
March 7, 2008 at 3:07 am
@kb – the spirituality consultant thing sure is strange. at first i assumed, as you did, that it was synonomous with therapist, but then I googled Anne Dilenschneider and she shows up on some UCC websites, which made me think that left-leaning christians might be the primary utilizers – something in addition to rather than instead of traditional religious stuff. who knows?!
@wa – sounds like the resolution has been great. i’m sold! a true sabbath – a day of rest – is a whole ‘nother can of worms. maybe we should tackle that one in 2009.
June 2, 2008 at 7:26 am
Actually, Mark wasn’t quite accurate. To set the record straight:
1) I’m a leadership consultant. I have a doctorate in leadership, and I provide consultation and training for non-profit organizations.
2) I’m also a clinical psychology Ph.D. candidate and the director of a community mental health program for persons who have been through acute psychiatric crises.
3) I’ve also been a United Methodist clergywoman and spiritual director for over 20 years.
June 2, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Anne, Thanks checking my blog and taking time to set the record straight! I’m disappointed to know that Mark Bittman is batting below 1.00 in getting his facts straight – he’s one of my favorites on the NYT staff. Best wishes as you finish your dissertation. (Is this your second one? Wow!)