Advantages Of An Extended “Holiday”?

As we approach this mid-summer holiday, I have been reflecting on the pros and cons of not having an official job outside of the house this summer (for the first time ever as an adult). This list is ever-evolving; maybe you’ll agree with some of these things, or maybe it will make you feel better about having to go back to work next week. Nothing is ever just rainbows and unicorns, even if it’s the theme of a kid’s birthday party. You can’t have a kid’s birthday party without tears, whining and stomach aches. That’s the real unicorn. Similarly, this temporary retirement is not strictly a holiday, and I’m working on enjoying this gift of time to focus on how to redesign my next stage of life.

Here’s my current pro/con list:

Pros:

• I get to see my kids more and spend more time with them.
• There’s no sinking feeling on Sunday night.
• I’m getting better sleep (until I find my next Netflix show).
• There’s time for more reading and podcasts and time to explore and think outside of the box.
• Less stress, more peace.
• My skin looks better, and I’m getting a lot of natural Vitamin D.
• I’m generally nicer to be around (so I’ve been told).
• Very few Zoom meetings — less than five PER WEEK!!!
• I’ve prioritized healthy activities.
• My flowers and plants are alive and actually look good.
• I’m available to help others, and I can be more present.
• I have patience to deal with new, online tasks.
• There’s time to meet new people and work on existing relationships.
• There’s also time to keep things cleaner (I mean, the time is there. Whether or not I’m using it…).
• People tell you stuff they didn’t want to when you were working.
• The world looks different and full of new possibilities.

Cons:

• I get to see my kids fight and whine more.
• I no longer have an excuse for not being the best parent in the world.
• I have constant access to food and time to eat it.
• I struggle with not feeling productive and satisfied by completed activities.
• I have too much time to contemplate what to do, so sometimes I do nothing.
• Days “off” are just another day.
• Everyone else is busy during the day (no one can come out and play).
• I feel guilty when I want to buy stuff (on the plus side, buying less stuff).
• I feel pressure to do important things.
• I feeling no pressure to do anything.
• My son’s friend asks why I have summer childcare when I’m home and don’t have a job.
• My kids aren’t reading my blog, so they are sometimes confused by the process I’m going through. One son doesn’t want me to get a job and the other worries we won’t have enough money.

Some things are true whether I have a job or not:

• Low interest in cleaning the house, doing laundry and meal planning
• I can still find excuses not to work out.
• Oreos soaked in milk taste good.
• Yoga pants don’t lie (that’s more of a public service announcement).
• Some of my co-workers still make me laugh even though we are no longer working together.
• I need to be around cool people to thrive.
• Exercise is a mood booster.

Now that the list is made, I’ve identified some areas in the not-working “pros” list that I might be able to design around when I get a job. I also see things on the “cons” list that motivate me to keep going. In the meantime, my birthday is coming up. I’m going to see if I can make it without crying, whining or an upset tummy. Have a great holiday weekend. Keep all your body parts away from fireworks, and be grateful for the pros and cons of 2021. Just like you need pressure to make diamonds, sometimes the best learning is in doing the hard things. Happy 4th of July weekend!