Rest breeds rust

The balance between work and play is a difficult one to get right. Shakespeare observed: "If all the year were holidays to play would be as tedious as to work."

Most people work because they need to earn money and are usually tempted by extra income to work longer hours. Knowing when to stop and put family and friends first is a difficult judgement to make but if you take too much time off then your work will suffer.

This saying implies that if you overdo rest and relaxation you will find it more difficult to make a success of whatever tasks you have. Working long hours might reduce your effectiveness but it is likewise with too much laziness.

A well-oiled, regularly run machine can last longer than one left lying idle.

Ol' Jim (Magic in Them Feet)

Rest and success are fellows

We are often led to believe that success comes from excessive effort -- tales of high-powered executives working eighteen hour days abound but there must be a limit.

If your job is very exciting and you can regard it as your hobby as well as your work then the long hours might be less wearisome. However, a tired, stressed person is unlikely to make good judgements so it is necessary to get adequate rest to recharge your batteries. The establishment of Sunday as a day of rest probably boosted production in the long run.

Some high achieving people like Sir Winston Churchill strongly believed in the importance of an afternoon nap. Rested and invigorated the mind will function better. Success in difficult circumstances will sometimes require a long burst of sustained effort so it is important to be at your best and fittest when the supreme challenge arises and you have to keep going till you drop.

Women's Wisdom