Balance is a beautiful thing.  Unlike symmetry which requires sameness, balance allows for differences to offset each other.  One of my favorite examples of asymmetrical balance is in the creation story in Genesis chapters 1 and 2 of the Bible. God worked six days to create the world and rested the seventh day.   This ratio of six days of work to one day of rest doesn’t mean work is more valuable than rest.  Exactly the opposite!  It took six days of God’s work to offset the value of one day of His rest.

When we neglect to rest, our lives quickly become out of balance.  We get tired and grumpy.  We may lash out verbally at others and get annoyed easily.  Our minds don’t work as well as they should, and our bodies start to hurt.  On the other side of the equation, when we rest too much, our minds become bored and our bodies weaken.  We lose opportunities to contribute our abilities to help others.  We may become socially isolated and mentally depressed.

Achieving the right balance of rest and work is essential for a healthy mind and body.  The six to one ratio is a divine guideline, but the exact formula for balance is different for each person.   I know I need 7 hours of sleep a night and one day each week without commitments, which is what I consider a day of rest.  Others may need more or less rest than I do to feel as if they have the right work to rest balance for them.  Find the ratio that works best for you, and strive to meet it as often as you can.  Your body will thank you!