One of the best things you can do to make a difference is to take a weekly break — something many Jews and Christians call a sabbath.
Here’s why:
Taking a Regular Break is Like Putting Fuel in Your Tank
Even the most energetic humans have their limits, and you can’t run on empty forever. When you step away from work on a regular basis, you’re giving yourself time to rest and recharge. If you won’t do it for yourself, consider it an opportunity to fuel up for more world-changing work. And if you find yourself flagging midweek, the thought of your upcoming day of rest can keep you going.
A Sabbath Break in Your Schedule Gives You More Time to Love Others
Right now you may be saying, “Wait a minute! I thought you were writing about taking a break and recharging. Now you’re talking about using the break to do good.”
Well, yes. I mention using your weekly break to love others for a couple of reasons.
First, sometimes our day-to-day duties get in the way of the more important things, like tending to relationships. Taking a break from your regular activities creates room in your schedule for the people around you. If you have difficulty finding time to make a difference, try making the time by choosing one day where that will be your focus.
Second, using your sabbath to love others isn’t necessarily antithetical to taking a day of rest. I say this as an introvert. I desperately need my alone time. If I spent my entire day of rest with people, especially with strangers or large groups, I would be exhausted. But — even for introverts — spending some time with people we love can actually make us feel better. As long as you make sure you get some time alone, using the day to love others won’t necessarily be draining.
How Exactly Do You Take a Sabbath Break?
Search for “sabbath” online, and you’ll find a variety of strong opinions on how and when to take it.
I’m not going to give you an exact prescription for sabbath-keeping. First, I don’t want to assume that all of my readers share my Christian faith. Second, I’m not a big fan of making legalistic prescriptions. I have preferences for how to spend a day of rest, but I’m not God. Besides, I’ve often failed to honor my own preferences, so why should I outline rules for you that I don’t always follow?
So here are suggestions — not rules — about how you might spend your day of rest.
- Spend time with God. I believe there is no better way to recharge than spending time with the One who created us. While we can and should spend time in prayer more often than once a week, a sabbath day of rest is a particularly good day for this. And if you belong to a worship community that gathers weekly, choosing to spend part of your day of rest at that service can be a source of refreshment and a way to love others. When my daughter was young, our pastor asked the children why we go to church. She responded, “To bring hope to others.” That isn’t the only reason to attend, but what a great response!
- Avoid commercial activities if you can. But it’s okay not to be rigid about it. If you’re running errands all day on your sabbath, you’re not resting. I recommend emphasizing activities like relaxing at home, taking walks, or hanging out with friends as much as possible. But I don’t think your day of rest must be everyone’s day of rest. I frequently get together with friends on Sunday afternoon to have ice cream, because that day works well for many of us. Yes, I’m spending money and benefiting from someone else’s labor, but I’m also building relationships with people I care about.
- Set limits on your use of technology. There are people who choose to have screen-free sabbaths. There’s a lot to be said for that. Staying plugged in all the time isn’t good for us. While I allow myself to use the computer, I significantly limit what I do. I spend plenty of time on email, Twitter, and Facebook during the week, so I avoid them as much as possible on my sabbath day (although I have been known to jump on Facebook if I need to check on a friend). I also choose not to work on my blog or other writing projects on my day off. On the other hand, I might check out Pinterest or watch something online just for fun.
- As I mentioned above, use the day both to rest and to love others. Consider your sabbath day a gift — an opportunity to get ready for the week to come and to invest in the things that truly matter.
Are you taking a weekly break? If not, what can you do to introduce that practice into your life?