What a week this has been.
I’ve had a lot going on at work — a lot of really great things, actually — but this week has still felt a little off.
I’m not sure I could even say why, but a bunch of people around me felt it, too. There were a lot of comments like, “What is it with this week?” “What else is this week going to throw at us?” “Oof, I’m really ready for the weekend.”
In other words, I think there was just a lot going on and a lot of feelings of overwhelm. Sometimes even the good things in life can start to feel a bit much.
When I have weeks like this, it can be easy to start to feel misaligned.
For me, signs of misalignment are when I have trouble relaxing and winding down at the end of the day. Or when I find it challenging to focus on the things that are important to me. Or when I feel extra tension in my body. Or when I don’t feel like I can get enough recovery time before having to dive back into the next thing. Or when simple things start to feel harder than they should.
And when it all starts piling up, that’s when I know I need a reboot.
Here are some of the things that work best to bring myself back into alignment:
Listening to classical music. The “classical new age piano music” radio station on Pandora is a favorite for me. I like to turn on this station in the background while I answer emails at work or when I just need a moment to take a few deep breaths. (It’s even playing now as I draft this blog post.)
Cleaning my kitchen. Putting something in order always helps me. I especially like how I can clean my kitchen mostly on autopilot. I know what needs to be done, in what order, and the tools that I need to use. Simple, easy, and rewarding.
Expanding my evening routine. Usually, I just brush my teeth, take my meds and vitamins, and go to bed. When I feel misaligned and in need of a little more self-care I might put lotion on my hands, give my nails a little extra attention, or relax in bed with a body scan meditation.
Seeking warmth. Whether it’s taking a hot shower, resting with a heating pad on my back, putting on a cozy sweatshirt, making a cup of hot tea, or sitting outside in the sun, I often seek a feeling of warmth when I need to calm down my nervous system.
Being read to. Part of why I love audio books is because I love being read to. Sometimes I can convince my partner to read a chapter or two of my current book, but if he’s not available or interested I often will listen to a chapter or two of an audio book to reset or distract my brain.
Going for a drive. During the early stages of the pandemic, my partner and I would take long drives to get out of the house. At the time, we were living in rural Kansas and could just choose a side road and drive for miles and miles. Those drives always offered a bit of a respite from everything on my mind and I loved seeing new scenery out the window. Now, we do those drives around different neighborhoods and towns close to Denver when I need a break from being at home or in the office.
What are some of your favorite ways to reboot or reset when you’ve had one of those weeks?