Work, Rest and Play

Quote

"L'Angleterre est une nation de boutiquiers" (England is a nation of shopkeepers).  Napoleon Bonaparte

News

In a few hours the world’s eyes will be on London for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics.   The stated purpose of the Games is ‘to build a better world through sport practised in a spirit of peace, excellence, friendship and respect’.  They provide a unique opportunity to encourage healthy relationships, from the personal to the international level. 

Healthy relationships make healthy people, and when such relationships are expressed through a balance of work, rest and play they promote the wellbeing of society as a whole, as well as for the individuals involved.  However, that balance has been undermined in three notable ways recently.

Firstly, Sunday trading restrictions have been suspended for two months, “to show the world that Britain is open for business” as the Chancellor stated (proving Napoleon right).   The problem is that one person’s freedom to shop is another person’s obligation to work.  Sunday trading has not brought economic prosperity (Germany manages OK without it) and denies the poorest wage earners the chance of a shared day of rest with family and friends.

Then the willingness of immigration staff at Heathrow airport to strike the day before the Olympics shows an extraordinary level of callousness at a time when every Londoner needs to show goodwill and go the extra mile in order to welcome the millions of visitors to the city this summer.  Fortunately for travellers, the strike was called off.  In a relational society, to work is to serve.

Lastly, several Olympic hopefuls have been banned from competing this week after failing drugs tests.  It is a sad indictment that more than 1,000 people will staff the anti-doping laboratory for the London Games, with up to 400 samples tested daily for more than 240 prohibited substances.  The commercialisation of sport means that enhancing individual performance is worth a lot of money; old fashioned fair play increasingly comes with a price tag.

The Olympics Games are all about challenge – but not just for the athletes.  There is an opportunity also for every spectator and official, broadcaster and caterer, politician and shopkeeper to do their very best in all their relationships as they work, rest and play over these weeks... now that would make for a memorable Olympics.

  

Read on…

An opinion poll taken this week shows that a majority of people in Britain are opposed to longer Sunday trading hours.  Read the article here.  

Walk the talk

How well would you score on a work/rest/play check-up?  What one step might you take to bring more balance into your life and family?

The last word

From the Bible, Ecclesiastes chapter 3, verse 1: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”

[I will be walking the talk and off on holiday for the next two weeks!  Friday Five will be back mid-August…]