As an entrepreneur and mom, I’ve always felt like I’m never off the clock.
At any given moment, my kids need something, I’m overstimulated, an email needs a response, I’ve just thought of the perfect Instagram idea I can’t lose, lunch needs to happen, naps need to happen and somewhere in there I’m supposed to be present, creative, and not on my phone. My brain just won’t turn off!
You might not be an entrepreneur and/or a mom, but I think most of us feel the pull – dare I say addiction?- to our phones, social media, or other unhealthy habits. We keep being told to be present, but it’s so much easier said than done, especially in our culture.
I’m a Christian and have always heard about honoring the Sabbath: the idea of resting for an entire 24 hours, once a week, to focus on God, family, things that bring you joy, and spend time being truly present. However, you don’t have to be religious in order to practice rest!
The Book That Changed My Mind
About 6 months ago I read, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer. He wrote it after seeking guidance from his mentor as a burnt out, overwhelmed pastor. His mentor had said, “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life.” The book explores why our society is obsessed and hurried and gives tangible steps on how to intentionally slow down and get refocused on what’s important.
Some of the steps Comer suggests are surprisingly small- obeying the speed limit, choosing the longest grocery line, showing up 10 minutes early to an appointment without your phone and using those extra minutes to just breathe and slow your mind down. There are so many little intentional choices that can add up!
Though I read that quote from Comer’s mentor and saw an opportunity to get closer to God, you might see it as a way to just get in touch with yourself. Maybe it’s a nudge to slow down and get more connected to your partner, your family + friends, or nature!
I’ve attempted to practice the Sabbath in the past, but for some reason it never stuck. It could be that as an entrepreneur, I always feel like I need to be working. It’s especially tough for me since I’m also home with my kids so I only get a few hours each day to work and it’s always around their schedules. Therefore, I always feel behind even if I’m not.
How I Put It Into Practice
The idea of a Sabbath is to set aside a day for nothing but rest and worship. Just think to yourself, “What could I do for 24 hours that would fill my soul with a deep, throbbing joy?” Essentially, the solution to our hurried, over-busy lives is not more time. It’s to slow down and simplify our lives around what really matters and that differs for all of us.
For me, a 24 hour period that brings me joy would include: quiet time/opportunities to worship God, spending time with my family + friends, being outside, and READING! It doesn’t include grocery shopping or meal prepping. We’re not cleaning up the house (even a little) or doing any kind of work. We get it all done during the other 6 days of the week so we can truly be present.
For our family, our Sabbath is a Sunday and most weeks it looks like this:
As soon as I wake up, I’m turning my phone to personal mode so I get zero notifications for all apps (including texts and emails). Now this doesn’t mean I don’t accidentally open apps during the day without realizing! I always try to quit out immediately, but not having notifications has really helped.
After breakfast we go to church as a family, come home and have brunch together. I love making brunch and feel a lot like Ron Swanson come Sunday lunchtime every week. (Am I the only one who lives by his quote, “Why would anybody ever eat anything besides breakfast food?”)
We then put the kids down for naps and during the almost 2 hours of naptime, Eric and I do something together or have time for ourselves. If we’re together, we’re typically watching SNL from the night before because laughing together is something we both value and it makes us feel connected.
After the kids get up we do things together as a family- go for a walk, go to the park, color/paint, play in the basement, watch a movie together, etc.
Then we have dinner and put the kids down and get more time just the two of us!
Some people practice Sabbath with zero technology- no phone, no TV, nothing. Others, like me, use it more loosely. The point isn’t the rules. It’s turning off the noise long enough to tune into whatever brings you joy.
Where Reading Comes Into Play
When we wake up Sunday morning, Eric works out while I have quiet time in bed. My quiet time is typically 15-20 minutes of me praying and/or reading a devotional. Depending what time I got up and when I need to start getting ready before the kids get up, I read in between.
Our church is a 30ish minute drive away. So what do I do in the car? I read both ways!
Eric and I love spending time together, but we also both value our time apart to do our own things. Sometimes we spend the nap time doing separate things. Typically it’s him watching soccer and I’m reading.
Sometimes after the kids get up, Eric will tell me to just go read and he’ll take the kids for an hour or two. I’m so grateful for the way Eric encourages me to take time, especially when most of the week I don’t feel like my time is my own.
I won’t pretend it was easy to stop at first. Putting the phone down, leaving the to-do list untouched, resisting the urge to just do one more thing; it felt weird at first! But what I found on the other side of the resistance was exactly what I was looking for: more presence, more joy, more calm. And honestly, more reading!
Whatever your version of a Sabbath looks like- one full day, a few intentional hours, or just choosing the long line at the grocery store- I hope you give yourself permission to try it. I promise it’s worth it!
And if a weekend away with a stack of books and a room full of people who just get it sounds like the kind of rest your soul is craving, that’s kind of exactly what book·cation is. Come slow down with us; you’ll be in good company!
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