The Guilt of Relaxation

As I lie on the couch enjoying my morning coffee on the last Sunday of Christmas vacation I realize that the last couple of days has brought on a stirring of uneasiness. At first I couldn't figure out what it could be as it has been a wonderful and relaxing holiday and then it dawned on me. It is the nagging sense that I have accomplished virtually nothing during the last 14 days. I have a stack of marking sitting in my office, the new project for my socials class is still just an idea in the back of my head, the painting of the basement will have to wait for the summer (maybe), even the 10 minute repair of some caulking in the bathroom is still left undone (I did, however, buy the caulking so I am halfway there on that one). I had such grand plans (Ok, they weren't grand but they were at least some ideas of how to get a few left over projects completed). Nothing has come to fruition and as work approaches I have the sense that I have just dicked away 14 valuable down days.

Then last night I started to take a little inventory of the holiday which included several days skiiing with my family, many dinners and drinks with family and friends, hockey, skating, swimming, walks, sledding, squash, gym time, reading, playing games and every morning spending hours having coffee and reading the paper with my wife and I realize the break has been filled with accomplishments far more valuable than if the hole in the basement wall has been filled (OK, I really do need to get on that one). The problem is not with what I have been doing, or not doing, it is with the fact that my relaxation is sometimes filled with guilt when I am not checking things off some mental to-do list. My lesson learned this holiday, next break I need to set my expectations lower and work harder to meet them. With that said, as usual it has been an awesome Christmas and now I have to get busy and get some stuff done, I only have a day left.