When the farmers in residence and any visitors come to work here I run a very tight time line for each day. 
They start at 7.30. We work until breakfast, after breakfast we work again. Lunch then SIESTA. Then reconvene at 3pm and work for another three hours, showers, dinner, clean-up, sleep.
The siesta (I think) is the key. Fitness has to be developed and adjusting to farm life can be pretty exhausting. So being given permission to throw oneself onto the bed and lie still for a couple of hours in the middle of the day makes all the difference I think. A rest in the afternoon is such an old fashioned idea but a good one. 
And while they rest I have time to catch up on all those other things that need doing without attendants. So it works both ways. 
I have always believed that having a stressful life is OK and perfectly normal as long as you design your life so that you have NON-Stressful times too. On purpose. A wide awake life is so much easier to manage. We take all the components of our lives, think about them then re-design them to suit ourselves as much as humanly possible. Give yourself a break every day.
I hope you have a lovely day. I could do with the wind dropping and a little warmth. But the temperature was perfect for gardening. So we did.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
62 responses to “Siesta”
I think we all agree that a siesta, or at least a short period of restfulness, is a wonderful thing!
These photos will brighten any day. That pig’s bottom is just the cutest thing ever. For me, a regular and scheduled siesta would take some getting used to. I like to just keep going through the day but make sure I get my rest at night.
Same with me – but I put all my workers down for a nap and it really does help them adjust to the rhythms of the farm. Sometimes I sit down too and it is BLISS.. c
I totally did not understand this concept until the last 6 months as I, and my body, attempted to recover from a life-changing accident.
Every day of my life was “do, now do MORE”. I tried jumping back into that mentality almost as soon as my legs would hold me.
I learned quickly that while I CAN still do most of what I used to do, that I now HAVE to take regular breaks.
I was surprised to find that I was even more productive with them than without them!
Regular breaks are refueling. in the theater we call it Feed the Beast! c
Since we moved my routines work-weekend-holiday have gone awol. A friend suggested emulating her husband who employs an afternoon nap to “turn one day into two”. I’m trying but the days go so quick, nap time has passed before I even look at the clock at tea time.
I never seem to manage siesta time and goodness gracious I am past glass slipper time, so night night and the photos were just right to relax me down for slee……..p!
Siestas just help you go with the farm flow. Good idea
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