4.25.2008

Not Thinking

My self care practice has been fairly tame recently. Nothing earth shattering. Nothing revolutionary. Just good reminders about how to take care of yourself as clergy -- which I might actually be able to learn to be good at. Fascinating.

And then, we get to this week: Taking Time for Yourself. Now, I have taken self care inventories many, many times now. I have taken the same one several times. But, this one leaves me numb. Why?

Well, I scored a 10 out of 16. I have room for improvement, it tells me. I also didn't check a number of these things because they don't apply to my present call. For example, there was a question about returning in the middle of my vacation for work. I wouldn't do this. I'm on a team. My colleague is there to do it. He would come back from vacation if I was there, but that's another story. I also am not planning on a sabbatical because I don't think that I will be at my present call the certain amount of time that I need to be here to earn it. I'm also only 18 months into my present call. Who's thinking about a sabbatical then?

But, the one that really floored me: "During my time off, I am able to refrain from thinking about work."

Um, no. I think about it constantly. Not worrying about my to do list -- but dreaming about what I want to do and praying for members of the church and wondering about what our work will be together. I think about it all of the time. Don't you? And if you don't, then how do you stop yourself from thinking about work?

1 comment:

more cows than people said...

yeah. this stumps me too. i have a colleague in town who says he ceases to think about his church the minute his vacation begins. i. don't. get. it.

i can't imagine how one does this.

i'm with you. not worrying about to-do's usually, but people, thinking about people, a lot.