In Praise of Respite (Part 4)

Inspired by Max Frisch’s questionnaires, the questions below are meant to invite you, dear reader, to reflect on how you deal with breaks. Perhaps you would like to look more closely at one or two of the questions. Perhaps one question in particular concerns you. Take a conscious break and write down what comes to your mind about the questions. In this way learn how you treat interruptions. By reflecting on the questions, you will learn more about your attitude towards “downtime” and whether or not you want to change your specific behaviour. The collection is subjective. Maybe there are other other issues about this topic that you refelect on.  There is so much more to discover…

1. Do you feel free?

2. What does the perfect break look like for you?

3. Do you deserve a perfect break? Why?

4. How many weeks per year do you get from such a perfect break? (why not more?)

5. How much time do you take for yourself?

6. How intact are your personal relationships?

7. What good do you do for the world?

8. How many times a day do you laugh, do you have fun?

9. How much do you love your work?

10. Suppose you spend too much time, in your opinion, on idleness, what kind of thoughts do you have?

11. When was the last time you took a real break?

When was the last time a break went wrong? What was the reason?

13. Where do you put your mobile phone when you go to bed?

14. How do you end the day?

15. How healthy and strong do you feel?

16. What does sport mean to you? How much exercise do you do?

17. What does food mean to you?

18. When have you ever been forced to take a break?

19. What should you take a break from right now?

20. What is your justification for a break?

21. Why don’t you take a break right now?

22. How do you eliminate distractions for your break?

23) how does your inner weakness help you to take a break?

24. Why are you in this world?

25. How do you get into the “traveller’s mindset”? (not having a goal, being open to all impressions, enjoying the moment).

26 How do you start the day?

27. What is your attitude towards your own future? And the future of your family and friends?

28. What experience have you had with sabbaticals?

29. How much respect do you grant yourself?

30. How much do you long for a long break from your job? (0 = no longing, 10 = total longing) Why do you rate it this way?

31. How much do you long for a long break from your life as you are living it now? (0 = no longing, 10 = total longing) why do you rate it like this?

32. In what situations should everyone regularly take a break?

33. What kind of break do you need more of in your life?

34. Do you think the world in general needs more breaks? Who could need them most?

35. Do you enjoy your life? How do you do it?

36. What do you need to be happy?

37. Do you think people used to take more breaks than they do now? Do you think they will take more or less breaks in the future?

38. How do you feel about people who take regular breaks?

39. Imagine that you have a life without respite. How would that feel?

40. Imagine you didn’t need a break. What would your life be like then?

41. Which of your senses are heightened most when you take a break?

42. What do you do without interruption? What makes you do that?

Which question about the topic preoccupies you? Send it to us and we will be happy to add it to the list.

Some questions are taken from the magazine Neue Narrative, No. 4.

Original text: HFI
English translation: BCO