Pencils down (returning 9/23)

It’s been a wild two weeks. Most work days were 11 - 12 hours. The work itself was challenging and fulfilling but man am I tired. I’m going to be taking a break for the next several days and my work computer will be far away from me. Did I complete all the work that I wanted to? No. Far from it. And yet knowing that I’m going to be traveling for the next several days and that it’s time to put work to the side has helped bring a great sense of peace. My coworker calls it the “pencils-down date” — a nod to when the timer reaches zero during an exam and students must accept whatever they’ve been able to accomplish up to that point and put their pencils down. We live a finite existence. What we want may not be the same thing as what time allows for. Accepting this can offer a sense of serenity. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit williamliao.substack.com