Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 11, 1991 TAG: 9103110271
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A/9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MONTY S. LEITCH
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Actually I was otherwise engaged. I was lying on the couch watching "Santa Barbara."
But this friend of mine wears sleek career suits and she carries her aerobic walking shoes with her to work in a "Save the Earth" canvas bag. She's not the type of woman who knows when "Santa Barbara" is on.
So I said, "I'm in the middle of something, but I can put it on hold." Then I hit the "RECORD" button on the VCR's remote, and, while those well-dressed ersatz Californians continued wrestling with their fates, I chatted with my friend.
"I'm downshifting," she said.
I told her I didn't know she had a car phone.
"I don't," she said. Pause. Then, "Oh, you mean the downshifting," she laughed. "Ha, ha. No, I'm taking a few minutes off. Relaxing, you know. Maximizing my effectiveness by shifting down a few gears for a while."
"Maximizing your effectiveness?"
"Right," she said. "Getting some leisure time into the game plan. See, I'm just sitting here catching up on phone calls to friends. Just relaxing. So far, you're the only person on my list who's been free. But, it's such a relief, killing a little time like this." I could hear her tapping her fingers on her desk. "I'm really glad you were free."
I started to remind her that actually I was otherwise engaged, but she barreled ahead. "I've started scheduling downtime now. Writing it on my calendar. That's what this is: my downtime for today."
"Ah," I said. "Put a check by my name."
"Oh, yes!" she said. "Thanks for reminding me. Listen, you ought to try this. You just can't believe how much more work you can get done if you schedule a little downtime."
"Do tell," I said.
"I'm even taking a trip," she said. "There's this marvelous tennis clinic in South Carolina where, for five days and four nights, you do nothing but work on your game. Fantastic, isn't it?"
"You work on your game," I said.
"Yes, and they have all sorts of other leisure activities scheduled. Dances, historic tours, individualized training sessions with Nautilus machines, that sort of thing. I'm meeting with my accountant next week to see if we can't deduct it as a business expense, because I'm sure this will improve my performance all across the board. You ought to try something like this. I'll send you the brochures."
"Oh, gee, I don't know," I said.
"It would do you a world of good. Some leisure time in your life."
I started to tell her that individualized training sessions with Nautilus machines did not sound very relaxing to me, but before I could, she hissed. "Oh, God, here comes somebody. I can't let them see me like this! Talk to you later," she said. And then she hung up.
Truthfully, her timing was perfect. "Santa Barbara" was just rolling credits. While I rewound the tape, I considered her suggestion. I could just go get my calendar - wherever it is - and write `schedule a little downtime,' I thought.
Instead, I watched "Santa Barbara" again. Then I took a nap.
by CNB