A recent abandonment of my blog has been directly correlated to an exponential increase in my workload.
In laymen's terms: Doha is kicking my BUTT.
Not only am I a full time graduate student, I am working 20 hours a week as an assistant for the brilliant director of my department at Qatar University, I have just secured a 16 hour (unpaid) internship with a rather prestigious policy institution with a branch here in Doha. Did I mention I have 9 hours a week of class? And long-term projects for work and grad school in the pipes for the next 3 months?
I'm not trying to complain. I asked to be blessed with opportunity and Doha has done nothing but reward me for my hard work, and punish me for my inaction. It's like a wet dream for the Protestant work ethic. Them Evangicsals dun' got a thang on them A-Rabs...
While this is all great for my professional career, I'm experiencing a cleavage forming, in a rather Marxist sense, between my private and public lives. I am having trouble sleeping, it seems, as my brain just never shuts off... I feel as if the spiritual/intellectual side of me is lacking in stimulation. As I like to say, my brain isn't exercising or doing enough "cartwheels" throughout the day. I continue to just do what I'm told at work and at class, and there is never a time for me to simply celebrate myself and allow for my creative genius to flow free (hello bloggy poooo).
Perhaps this is just a characteristic of all "professional lives" of people all around the globe, and everyone needs to figure it out sooner or later. That just doesn't sit well with me though. My brain needs time to do some cartwheels (just not my body, apparently ;) ), and that's something that can't be helped.
I've already decided to take some time to do some transcendental tourism as soon as it's feasible (next March, details soon!), so I can have something to look forward too. I also need to take some time to let out my pent-up brainwaves, and something tells me that this blog will take the frontline in that regards... So I do apologize to my readers in advance....
I think this is something that all professionals around the world need to consider: to what extent is the majority of your time on this planet spent in a rat race?
In a Marxist utopia, we would all be professionals in what we love and revel in doing, whatever that may be. I've always tried to make sure that I enjoy what I'm doing, and I would never ever agree to forcing myself into a job I didn't take an interest in.
Today, however, while we develop external ideas and projects at our places of employment, it is important to remember to nourish your other half. One never wants to become lopsided by only enriching your professional persona. Take some time to love and treat your spiritual/intellectual being, since that comprises the majority of your "self/nafs" as it were...
All this just sounds like Sufi ramblings to me, but I hope someone somewhere can take something somehow...
Peace and love always <3
In laymen's terms: Doha is kicking my BUTT.
Not only am I a full time graduate student, I am working 20 hours a week as an assistant for the brilliant director of my department at Qatar University, I have just secured a 16 hour (unpaid) internship with a rather prestigious policy institution with a branch here in Doha. Did I mention I have 9 hours a week of class? And long-term projects for work and grad school in the pipes for the next 3 months?
I'm not trying to complain. I asked to be blessed with opportunity and Doha has done nothing but reward me for my hard work, and punish me for my inaction. It's like a wet dream for the Protestant work ethic. Them Evangicsals dun' got a thang on them A-Rabs...
While this is all great for my professional career, I'm experiencing a cleavage forming, in a rather Marxist sense, between my private and public lives. I am having trouble sleeping, it seems, as my brain just never shuts off... I feel as if the spiritual/intellectual side of me is lacking in stimulation. As I like to say, my brain isn't exercising or doing enough "cartwheels" throughout the day. I continue to just do what I'm told at work and at class, and there is never a time for me to simply celebrate myself and allow for my creative genius to flow free (hello bloggy poooo).
Perhaps this is just a characteristic of all "professional lives" of people all around the globe, and everyone needs to figure it out sooner or later. That just doesn't sit well with me though. My brain needs time to do some cartwheels (just not my body, apparently ;) ), and that's something that can't be helped.
I've already decided to take some time to do some transcendental tourism as soon as it's feasible (next March, details soon!), so I can have something to look forward too. I also need to take some time to let out my pent-up brainwaves, and something tells me that this blog will take the frontline in that regards... So I do apologize to my readers in advance....
I think this is something that all professionals around the world need to consider: to what extent is the majority of your time on this planet spent in a rat race?
In a Marxist utopia, we would all be professionals in what we love and revel in doing, whatever that may be. I've always tried to make sure that I enjoy what I'm doing, and I would never ever agree to forcing myself into a job I didn't take an interest in.
Today, however, while we develop external ideas and projects at our places of employment, it is important to remember to nourish your other half. One never wants to become lopsided by only enriching your professional persona. Take some time to love and treat your spiritual/intellectual being, since that comprises the majority of your "self/nafs" as it were...
All this just sounds like Sufi ramblings to me, but I hope someone somewhere can take something somehow...
Peace and love always <3
One of the major signs of adulthood is dealing with this precise issue. I think it is a huge sign of maturity to turn off all electronic equipment for a portion of the day. This has singularly freed up enough brain space for me to feel more rested and more able to access me. I also wake up at 5 every morning just so I can be with myself. No one bothers you at 5 am, unless you count the sunrise : )
ReplyDeleteI am just amazed how invariably we all are being tuned into being parts of a rat race,the kind of race which does not seem to have a seriously happy personal ending and triumph.genuine heartfelt smiles seem to have gone missing
ReplyDeleteHEY,
ReplyDeleteyou can come to Iran,There is no race in here-except for the nuclear one-You may begin with this island named Kish which dosen't require entry visa.
Just take few days off!!
Just breathe, cuddle with your dog, laugh at yourself at least once a day and be sure to catch a few sunsets every week.
ReplyDelete