How Was Sabbatical?

“How was your Sabbatical?’

This question has been the way every single human being who works in my office began their conversation with me today and it’s the number one thing I was dreading about returning to work. I didn’t dread having to be back in the office or catching up on anything I missed. I didn’t dread having to put back on my ‘leader’ hat. I dreaded answering this stupid question. 

If you think about it, it’s borderline impossible to answer. What people in my office are really asking when they ask that is “How was your three weeks away from us and frankly pretending that we and this church didn’t exist” and there’s just no win in answering that for me. 

So, knowing that this problem was coming I did what I always do and planned ahead. I formulated the perfect answer to this tough question: 

“It was great and I’m happy to be back.” 

This perfectly balanced answer disarmed 14 out of the 15 people who asked me about my Sabbatical this morning. All but one, a gentleman who works on our security team who caught me a little off guard. 

“Glad you are back too, how’s your world different now?”

I was not prepared for follow up questions and so I just stared at him blankly for a few moments before managing to blurt out some joke along the lines of “Well, the President has COVID now.” He laughed and left it alone, but I knew what he was asking. What was different in my life now that I’ve had the experience of taking prolonged time away from work? As I returned to my desk this afternoon, I pondered this question and came up with two answers that I want to share with you.

I want to value OPTIMISM. 

If there’s one thing that you find in excess at Disney World (aside from overpriced merch) it’s optimism. The place is an optimism factory. At every turn there’s a ride or a snack or simply a view that takes your breath away and inspires you to, for at least a second, see the good in the world.

I used to be a very optimistic person. I would always try to see the good in a person or a situation. Nothing, and no one, was ever as bad as they seemed. But, somewhere along the way, I think I’ve lost that. I’ve lost it in my work, I’ve lost it in the way I view people, and I’ve lost it in the way I view Fantasy Football. I’ve become overly critical, hyper-sarcastic and negative to a fault. 

And it’s been awful. 

But on this Sabbatical I was able to take a step away from almost everything in life and realize that most of what I have going on is pretty great. I have a pretty great job. I have a pretty great marriage. I have a pretty great life. I need to choose to see it like that more intentionally. 

I’m going to try harder to be a person who sees the best in my work and does the best I can with what I have. There’s a lot not in my control in my work right now, but if I can control it I’m gonna think the best about it. 

I’m going to try harder to be a person who believes the best in people when and where I can. Not everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt, but I serve people better when I extend optimism to those who merit it. The world is a much easier place to live in through that lens. 

And finally I’m going to try to be optimistic about my fantasy football teams this year, even though they’re all underperforming. Seriously, they all suck this year and I’ve found myself almost not caring about my lineups the past couple of weeks. I mean, what’s the worst that happens? I finish second to last after Kyle!? 

But the only person I’m really cheating by doing that is myself. Fantasy Football is supposed to be fun.

I want to value BOUNDARIES.

I always thought I was good at boundaries, specifically work / life boundaries. But taking three weeks off really taught me that I suck at it. I was constantly checking my phone for email (despite the fact that it was turned off), wondering what was happening at the office, and running out of things to talk about with Allison because we realized that all we ever talk about is work. 

I’ve allowed what I do to take over who I am even when I’m at home.

Coming back I’ve made a couple of big decisions about this:

• My work email will no longer be on my phone. I don’t need it on my phone because I don’t need to be checking it when I’m not working. It’s as simple as that. 
• Allison and I are going to try to limit the amount of time we talk about work to “the first hour we’re home.” That way, we can still talk about our day, but it doesn’t dominate our lives at home. 
• When I’m not at work, IDGAF. When I’m in the building or ‘on,’ I’ll give 100% like I always do. This isn’t a ‘work ethic’ thing. But when I drive away from the office or have a day off, that place and those people aren’t my problem. 

I’m not saying that these should be everyone’s work / life boundaries. I recognize that everyone has different vocational situations. But I think these are going to work for me.

I’m hoping that through these boundaries, I can reclaim the lost territory in my brain and in my soul that I’ve allowed work to claim. And, in doing so, create a space at home and in my heart to be at rest. Actual, authentic, rest. I shouldn’t have to wait every seven years for three weeks off to feel rested. I should be able to rest every evening when I go home and every Weekend. 

These aren’t groundbreaking revelations. It’s simple stuff. But the simple stuff is what creates a life worth living.

As we roll into Week Five of the 2020 Fantasy Football Season, do you need to turn up your ‘optimism’ settings a bit? Or maybe you need to evaluate how well your “work / life” boundaries work? Either way, it’s worth thinking about evaluating how you’re seeing and working in the world right now.

2020 has been and will continue to be wild man. Something tells me that we’re gonna need all the optimism and boundaries we can get. 

Before I finish, I do want to make some observations about the League. At some point, I’ll spin up the algorithm and get the Power Rankings going, But for now, here’s my

“Super Scientific (Except Not) Top Three:”

1. Nathan.
2. Chris
3. Jensen

It just kinda feels like these three teams are the pick of the litter in our League right now with Adam coming up right behind them and Kyle Morgan following way way way way way way way behind.

We’re nearly a third through the League Year already, so make sure to savor every ounce of Football we get because who knows when it could all end.

-The Commish.