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December    25th

DON’T   BURN    THE CANDLE  AT  BOTH    ENDS

“The    mind    must    be  given   relaxation—it   will    rise    improved    and sharper after   a   good    break.  Just

as  rich    fields  must    not be  forced—for  they    will    quickly lose    their   fertility   if  never   given   a   break

—so constant    work    on  the anvil   will    fracture    the force   of  the mind.   But it  regains its powers  if  it

is  set free    and relaxed for a   while.  Constant    work    gives   rise    to  a   certain kind    of  dullness    and

feebleness  in  the rational    soul.”

—SENECA,    ON  TRANQUILITY OF  MIND,   17.5

ne can’t read Marcus Aurelius and Seneca and not be struck by the difference between these two
radically different personalities. Each had his own strengths and weaknesses. Which would you
rather have entrusted with the immense responsibility of an empire? Probably Marcus. But who would
you rather be as a person? Probably Seneca.
One of the reasons is that Seneca seems to have had what we would now refer to as work/life balance.
Whereas Marcus can read as though he’s worn down and tired, Seneca always feels energetic, fresh,
robust. His philosophy of rest and relaxation—intermixed with his rigorous study and other Stoic rituals
—probably had a lot to do with it.
The mind is a muscle, and like the rest, it can be strained, overworked, even injured. Our physical
health is also worn down by overcommitment, a lack of rest, and bad habits. Remember the tall tale about
John Henry—the man who challenged the machine? He died of exhaustion at the end. Don’t forget that.
Today, you may face things that try your patience, require considerable focus or clarity, or demand
creative breakthroughs. Life is a long haul—it will mean many such moments. Are you going to be able to
handle them if you’ve burned the candle at both ends? If you’ve been abusing and overworking your
body?