Break before you break

I took some vacation time. To tell the truth, I didn't know if I was going to write a line again right away.

It's not that I don't want to write anymore but I don't necessarily like what I'm writing now, I'm not enjoying it and doing things without enjoyment is how you ruin the things you love.

I made the decision to back off and for a few weeks, I'll publish at an erratic pace depending on my inspiration.

This Sunday, I wanted to share with you about something many don’t do enough: taking care of yourself in a world that never stops turning.

You'd think that the more years go by, the more we evolve, the more tools we have access to, the more technology we have... we can be more productive.

And if we can do more then we might have more time...
But you know very well that this equation is wrong.

We always find new things to do, we always want to produce more and more and our inner self that only dreams of expanding its empire and influence never wants to rest.

There’s always something new to conquer.
The more the years go by, the more the sleep recedes.

A few hundred years ago, no electricity, when the sun went down, our days ended naturally. Some people used lamps and fire to gain a few hours against the darkness but they were far from having the tools we have nowadays.

We have conquered the night and sleep is even becoming a problem for those who want to live a little longer.

The moment of the day dedicated to our rest has become the ideal target to kill if we want to increase our productivity or have some extra pleasure life have to offer.

We no longer rest, we live, day after day, and this body that needs rest no longer receives it.

We go on day after day, week after week and the most resistant manage to do it year after year.

Many don't even notice that they are not well:

- irritability
- chronic fatigue
- no mental clarity

This strange state of permanent stress, of a semi-alert state so as not to miss anything in this ever-waking world, has become the natural state.

Until it breaks down.
And it will.

The moment it cracks, the body will collapse. The debt it has created will have to be paid. And it will not move forward until it is paid with interest.

I was watching a documentary about some mangakas.

Some write incredible stories. They become rich, famous but ... are unhappy and live a hell.

The pressure to publish is hard to bear. Major health problems, depression, mental problems... the body sends major signals that they have to stop.

And that's how many works are left hanging for years, waiting for the artist to finally have a breath of life come back to them.

You have to take care of yourself because you are the only asset in your life. I know that it is not necessarily easy and that today, the economic constraints are so numerous that one must always produce more just to survive.

Mangakas are not the only targets of these frantic rhythms.
Entrepreneurs are too. It never stops and there is always something to do.

It also affects a fringe of the population who chains different jobs in the same day to survive economically.

We are all subject at some point in our lives to these infernal rhythms that damage our bodies.

But I think the equation is wrong.
Stealing our sleep is not the answer.
It’s better to take of yourself, sleep, have quality rest :

--> You can create better work and be more productive
--> You can last for a long time
--> You will be happier and by being happier, you will be able to find solutions to problems more easily

While by working always more, we risk being like a candle, shine in a magnificent flame before extinguishing us for a long time.

Especially since tools are being created to work for you for free.

Technology must be used to liberate us: not to enslave us.
It is supposed to give us wings, not add chains to our feet.

My message this Sunday is simple: take care of yourself before you have no choice to do so.

Have a great day.