Back to Work

One of the most challenging things about stepping away from my work is getting back into it. When momentum is built, pausing can feel counterintuitive. People might forget about you for a bit. Your energy on reentry is different than it was when you stopped.

And that’s the point of the pause—to shift the energy. Ideally, to gain new energy. Fresh energy.

Even so, reentry requires a reorientation.

Over the years, I’ve noticed this is often why people don’t stop. It isn’t the healthiest approach, but it is the logic behind it. I once knew an educator who struggled deeply with the idea of retirement because he believed that if he wasn’t working every day, he would die. There was no work-from-home option. No part-time role. His worldview demanded full-time work as a condition for survival.

For me, that’s a tough way to live.

And yet, I get it.

After several weeks away from researching and writing—and from engaging and responding—I found myself needing more time than expected to crank the engine and let it warm up. I didn’t anticipate that.

Still, I know this to be true:

I wouldn’t change a thing.

I took time to stop.

It was reflective.

Quiet.

Restorative.

Educational.

It was somewhat unplanned.

My nervous system made the decision before my mind caught up. It was time.

Now that I’m back, restoration is serving me well.

I have fresh eyes for what’s happening and what requires my attention.

I have renewed energy to execute both short- and long-term strategies for my work.

My instincts are sharper, helping me assess and analyze the world—and my place in it—with greater clarity.

All of this makes me better for myself and for others.

In the effort to do things well—and to do good things—stopping matters.

Now that I’m back, it’s time to move forward with intention. To push the envelope, thoughtfully.

There’s much to do. As one of my favorite supervisors used to say, “ We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us .”

Time to get to work.