Have you ever heard the phrase “Work Hard, Play Hard?” It could refer to many things, but to me this speaks about one of the key principles of a purposeful, well-balanced life. I’ve discovered that my best times of rest come after my best times of work. The harder I work, the more I enjoy my subsequent rest. The two moderate and strengthen the other.
Whenever our life is out of balance, our body gives us warning signs. The warning signs of being overworked are stress, sickness, weariness, lack of joy, lack of social life, failing relationships and an overall low enjoyment of life. When we’ve rested too much, we experience the warning signs of laziness, boredom, lack of drive, lack of money, lack of purpose and lethargy. The solution to too much of one thing is to purposefully add the other. As we do that, we find enjoyment come to both areas of life: work and rest.
We have been working so hard — Ruth, the kids and me — so this vacation was the perfect break from all the work. In fact, we enjoyed it so very much, precisely because we have been working so hard. It recharged our batteries for the start of 2020.
Enjoying an afternoon on the beach 
The kids build a sandcastle 
Ruth sips on fresh coconut milk 
Sand castle done! 
The sun sets on a perfect day
Now we are already talking about what our next big adventure will be. We have a lot of work coming up, and we’re excited to tackle it. But it’s also great to have something on the horizon — a focal point to help us through an especially busy season. Do you have any big plans, goals or trips you’re looking forward to? Where do you find yourself on the balance of work vs rest? That balance is key for a healthy lifestyle.