Maintain balance, avoid falling on the staycation tightrope

I am usually outside on beautiful, calm, cloud-free Saturday afternoons, but since I’m on staycation thought it best to get back to you, dear readers.

Besides, they’ll be plenty of time to get my outdoors on after I finish this.

Most people try to relax and recharge on their staycations.

I’m pretty happy if I’m able to relax.

Doing nothing is better than overdoing it on vacation; this is because if you are too active, you’ll need another break from the holiday you just experienced.

Recharging is something to be done back at work.

If you’re self-motivated like I am, once you’re back from vacation, it’s time to be back in full force.

There is no short-arming it.

There is no halfway.

It’s just full-on energy-driven work.

The one staycation must-do thing

Of course, maintaining one’s fitness regimen is critical to success when back on the job.

You can’t take a break from working out.

I’ve tried that and can confirm it does not contribute to feeling refreshed upon returning to the job.

Making good use of time off is crucial.

Sure, you don’t have to go crazy with activities, but you should catch up on stuff you’ve ignored while on the job; this is where it can get a bit dicey, however.

I have a bunch of old computer stuff that I’ve meant to go through and take to Goodwill.

You know the adage about clothing and not wearing something for six months?

Of course, you do.

Well, in the case of computer-related hardware, it’s seven years.

If it’s been seven years that computer memory or a CPU has been on the shelf without nary a sniff, it’s time for it to go.

The typical hoarder mentality is, “Well, I might use that someday.”

I might actually cook dinner one day, but if it hasn’t happened for six years or longer, you’re just kidding yourself.

You won’t ever get to dinner making or building a computer with obsolete hardware unless you block out some time on your calendar to do it.

And I’m not the kind of guy that blocks out anything except lawn mowing–right up until the time that I do it.

Stuff on shelves that sit is stuff on shelves that sit.

The struggle is real

Unless you decide today is going to be the day that you do something about it.

I kind of thought today might be the day for me just before I sat down to write this.

I had a light lunch of beef jerky, Red Baron pizza, and half a cookie (from a neighborhood bakery that just literally opened today).

The tasty, soft cookie provides a little boost of energy.

Good enough that I thought about the two shelves in the basement with all the old computer stuff on them.

My better half has been excellent about not (continually) staying after me about it.

She occasionally makes mention of things like, “The next time we’re on staycation, you should clean out those two shelves.”

Shelves of stuff are not created equal

Well, the problem with that is I’m a purposeful shelf cleaner.

I need a reason to do things like that.

The half of the cookie gave me brief energy. Finally, however, my inclination to write got the better of me.

I still think that I’ll get to the shelves before the staycation is over.

I know it will make my wonderful better half smile if I do so.

That should be all the motivation a guy needs.

Hopefully, it will be.

I’m hoping I can clean the shelves out enough that I won’t have to revisit them on the next staycation.

The thought I might not use any of the stuff on the shelves ever again is a disturbing one.

But not that upsetting that I cannot take a brief nap before thinking about it again.