I recently came to a realization that I don’t unplug from work enough. When you hit your max limit for accruing paid time off, you know something is seriously wrong with you. Take a vacation already!
This realization came with another one. I’m seriously a hoarder. Not the type that you see on TV where their house is so packed they can hardly move (although speaking of which, I should probably declutter soon). But more so in the sense that I’m afraid to use things because I’m saving them for a later time. Three examples come to mind: paid time off (PTO), money, journals.
- In case you missed it, I stopped accruing paid time off. I was saving my time for when I had a big vacation planned. Or in case I got sick. Or if I decided to do something cool. But I just never really take time off (a day here, a half day there). It’s quite sad really. So, one day I looked in my time system and the number had hit the max and HR was like, yep, you stopped accruing time. Take some time off, girl!
- Money. For as long as I can remember, I have been a saver. A penny hoarder, if you will. One dollar a week allowance when I was little. Five dollar from my Nonna for helping her in the kitchen. Birthday money. Christmas money. I saved it all. Every penny. I started a savings account when I was in elementary school and I literally put all my money into my savings. Then when I got older and had a job, all my paychecks went into my savings. Now, full disclosure, I was pretty lucky that my parents helped me out until I graduated college (and maybe, definitely a little after). But all in all, I still worked really hard and just saved a lot. Today, I have a lot to show for it. I bought a condo at 25, paid off my student loans, recently bought a brand new car, etc. Yet, for all that saving, I haven’t done a whole lot for me. I’m not spontaneous. I haven’t seen the world. I don’t have a major hobby that sucks money from me. I’m pretty boring. So why do I keep saving if I’m not using the money for anything cool? Just like my paid time off, I’m saving it for another time. But I’m coming to realize, the time is now. You’re only young once. You work to live. (I can keep going with the cheesy cliches, but you catch my drift).
- Journals. For someone who touts about writing in just about every blog post, I have too many empty journals to count. I LOVE journals. Beautiful leather bindings, crisp white pages, silky ribbon bookmark. They are lovely and full of potential. But mine are just full of blank pages. They’re too nice to write in. I’m saving them for a project. I already started in that other book. Ugh. Excuses, I’ve got plenty. So, again, why do I keep buying journals if I’m not going to use them?!
I’ve got 99 problems and hoarding is one. Well, I guess it could be worse, but at least I’m admitting that I have a problem and can take steps to make it better. My new motto: Take time off, spend money, write it down! I like it.
Is anyone else out there a time/money/journal hoarder like me? Or do you have advice for getting over this “problem”? Let me know in the comments below.