Running out of Gas

A little over a week ago I was on my way to Walla Walla, Washington. As we were cruising along I had a quick flashback to the previous year when we were in the area. Last time around we were headed to Yakima and it was late at night. Alicia was driving and I was reading something online when she asked if we had enough gas to get there. I told her that the gas light usually came on when we had about 5 gallons left and that was good for around 100 miles. Since we were only 50-60 miles away it seemed like a safe assumption we would make it. If you’ve ever driven into Yakima you know that there are a few ups and downs to getting there and we ran out of gas on one of the uphill parts of the road. The gas light had fizzled out without either of us being aware and here we were, stuck on the side of the road waiting on AAA to send a truck with a couple gallons to get us there. We were so close to getting some sleep, but ended up losing a couple hours because we didn’t take the time to refuel.

I’m sure all of us have had those moments that you just feel like you’re running out of gas. I was talking to a teacher last week and we were discussing this very issue. We were setting up for an assembly when they asked if I ever got tired of doing so many shows each week. I never really feel tired of doing all the shows, but sometimes my body lets me know that it is wore out. I have days that I wake up and feel fine…that is until I start jumping and realize that nothing is working. Some days it feels like I’m completely exhausted all the way into my bones. There’s just no energy left, I’m trying to do the same thing I do in every show, but I’m working 500% harder than normal, what gives?

I am a classic workaholic. I go until I can’t go anymore. Alicia asked me the other day if I’m actually capable of relaxing. There’s just so much to do that I hate wasting time to sit down and do nothing. Eventually my body decides for me when to rest and it usually is at the most inopportune times. Do you experience that?

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of The Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore The Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:8-11 KJV)

Whether or not you believe in the bible, the theory behind the principle of taking a sabbath (or rest day) is very important. I remember hearing a few years ago that Russia experimented with making a 10-day work week. You work for 9 then get a day off. The problem they found was that their workers were much less productive than when they went with the typical 7-day week. We were designed to work for 6 days then rest.

Our nation has loads of people that take this too far and take 6 days off then do one day of half-hearted work. Don’t be lazy. Be the hardest working employee at your job. If you have a lazy co-worker, they should be embarrassed to be around you. You need to work, in fact, if you have a 5-day a week job, find something to do on day 6 to help you be more productive. Go back to school, learn a new hobby, do something productive. Working for 6 days is important, but then learn this. Rest. I have a hard time with this and have to work at resting. That may be hard to believe, but us self-employed types usually like what we do to the extent that we just keep doing it.

Take a day off and relax, you’ll find that you’ll be more productive, more energized and more ready to go when the week starts up again for you.