Unproductive and Proud of It

I woke up yesterday at 6:30am with a stomach virus. My initial thought was, "I have too much to do - I can't get sick."

After hurling in the bushes on the way to take The Girl to school, I realized this was how my day was going to go. The beautifully landscaped school grounds were replaced by my cold bathroom toilet. Instead of putting up a fight, I allowed the puke gods to win and retreated to bed.

Even though I don't get paid sick leave and vacations are a fairytale, I was grateful for being in this position. I didn't have to drag myself into work sick or deal with a demanding boss giving me a guilt trip for not coming in. I've been in those situations and there's not a paycheck in the world big enough to make me want to go back. If push comes to shove and I have to punch another clock, it'll be one with little to no expectations - I'll be so far off the radar it ain't funny.

Corporate America conditions us to believe that working long hours and sacrificing family defines your value as an employee. The more you show up for the company (neglecting yourself in the process), the more you're rewarded. One of the most valuable lessons a manager taught me was to take time off when I needed it. Anybody can be present, but it takes effort, energy, and focus to be productive.