Pacing Yourself

Marathon runners know how to pace themselves. They know that if they went all out from the outset of the race they would run out of steam well before the race was done. It is a lesson we all must learn. We must learn how to slow down in order to get the job done well, and to prevent ourselves from burning out along the way.

Slowing down also allows us to see the scenery around us, to take in the beauty and majesty of this magical world in which we live. It allows us to see the sparkle in our children’s eyes, and to catch the nuances that we are likely to miss as we race through our everyday lives.

Those of us who have done this job for a while get a thrill from seeing our children learn to do things and be things that they could not do or be before. We celebrate our children’s accomplishments, and truly take joy in the small roles we have played in their progress. Yet there are times when coming to work does not feel so thrilling or joyful. We begin to forget the reasons we do what we do, we pick up the pace and rush to meet obligations.

When we rush to get through our days we begin to breathe shallowly, and as we breathe shallowly we begin to think shallowly. We do our jobs poorly and sloppily. We live in the future and the past, and each individual moment disappears before we can live in it and feel its power.

Ironically, we rarely get more done by moving faster, or if we do the quality of our work suffers. Remember that we can do better work by recalling the things about our work that brought us here to begin with; the joy of seeing children lead richer lives and making a difference in the world. Remember that we rarely accomplish anything by repeatedly blasting ourselves for past mistakes, and that our past is merely a catalogue of present moments; if we want to create a past that will serve us well the only way to do so is to live meaningfully in the present. Slow down and focus on what is in front of you. Breathe deeply and involve yourself passionately in your work, and reward yourself meaningfully when your work is well done. Maintain your high standards, but refuse to let perfectionism take hold. Be both honest and fair to yourselves. And remain grateful for the gifts you have been given.