If You’re Very Busy


“You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour.”

I don’t sit in meditation at all. I’m sure it’s worthwhile, but it’s not my thing.

This saying is about more than meditation, though. It’s about taking care of yourself when you’re busy. Due to some extraordinary good fortune, I’m busy. Really busy. Grateful that I’m busy, but busy nonetheless.

You might think that in these very busy times, the little grace notes I so treasure in life would fall by the wayside in favor of stripped-down practicality. You might think that, but you’d be wrong.

I never need little grace notes in life so much as when I’m flat-out working. This bento is one of those things. Sure, I could pack a sandwich with some fruit, and it’d be a fine lunch. It’s just that opening the top on something attractive and tasty as a break in the middle of the day does so much for my morale and focus that I really need to take that extra time for myself to pack something nice.

It’s times like these that bubble baths and candles become important. I listen to more music during such time. I’m more likely to read before bed. (And be careful to go to bed on time!) A silk scarf, pearls, self-manicures, and olive oil treatments for my hair become important – not because of how they make me look, but how they make me feel.