A popular magazine recently asked its readers what they would do if they had an entire day off with no obligations or responsibilities – as though that would be a total fantasy. The fact that this question was posed should be at least faintly horrifying. We must be the most overworked, over committed society on the planet.

Why the guilt about spending some time in an unproductive stupor? What is wrong with us that we cannot sometimes enjoy the playground that life on this beautiful planet is meant to be?

The 4S RX

Shirk some responsibility. You are not Atlas and the planet will not roll off your shoulders if you shrug. Do you feel that if you don’t do it won’t get done? Well, what is the consequence of that? If it is significant, someone else will do it – for a change. Maybe you haven’t given them a chance to. Maybe the house doesn’t have to be that clean.  Maybe someone else won’t do it as well as you – so what?

Squander some time. Admire the clouds, appreciate some flowers, stare at your child’s beautiful face, go to the movies in the middle of the day, go to a museum, take a stroll  (not a power walk) in a botanical garden or a park. It will lower your blood pressure.

Swap some tasks. Why can’t a spouse occasionally take over the chores/childcare/etc for one weekend day while the other gets a break – a real break – not time to do more stuff. Swap play dates with other moms to get some kid-free time. What about friends giving each other a nite off from cooking once a week by cooking extra (don’t count on me for this one – I stopped cooking raw food when my son moved out.)

Simplify everything. We spend a lot of time doing needless things. I just read an article on Yahoo.com that claims it can actually damaging to your dishes to pre-wash them before putting them in the dishwasher! Use online bill pay and Quicken to manage your finances. Before you buy another something, consider how much you will use it and how much effort it will take to maintain it. Where possible, hire others (you can’t do it all yourself, that’s why God invented other people.)

So, beloved readers, I am not going to ask you what you would do with a free day, but when are you giving yourself that gift?