| Hi read, How are you? No, really, how are you? When asked how you're doing, how often do you respond with "I'm so busy!"?
I get it. Your plate is full. Whether it's summer or the school year, you're dealing with work, life, cooking, shuttling kids around, and all the other things. You're busy and you're stressed. Does that sum it up?
I was reminded last week about the need to build in time for rest when I got Covid. Thankfully, I had a major presentation on Friday, so I had the time built in to focus on that presentation and travel (don't worry, I presented via Zoom). If it had been a normal week, I likely wouldn't have built in the downtime, though. And I absolutely needed the time to rest.
Here's the thing. We all need rest. It doesn't take getting sick with Covid to deserve rest. We need to step away from the busy and be OK with rest. We all deserve rest. Yes, even you! Especially considering the current version of things.
You need a daily reset. Yes, boundaries help with this. Each day we can find at least a few minutes of quiet. Even a few minutes can help.
You need a longer time away from work. On the guest blog from Christine Anastasia, she talked about taking a few long weekends this summer. That extra day can help. You can take off any day. Take off that random Tuesday to fill your cup. Take the rest you deserve.
And then there is the benefit of taking off longer pockets of time. If you're taking off a week or more, truly step away and decompress. And it doesn't require that you take a trip. A staycation works too. Days off can help you reset, give you a moment to pause, and help you find the mental space to figure things out at work and home. This time away also helps you with productivity, time management, and focus, at work and at home.
If you struggle with shifting from busy to taking to rest, these might help: - Schedule daily time. Put a daily 5-minute mindfulness moment on your calendar. And don't simply dismiss the alarm that reminds you to get started. In fact, give yourself an early alarm so you're in the right mindset for that reset moment. Meditate, stretch, or simply be still.
- Look at new tools and resources. My favorite tool for meditation is Calm. Many people I interviewed for the Mompowerment books mentioned the Headspace app as well. Consider listening to Katie Krimitsos' Women Meditation Network for guided meditations.
- Get outside. Whether you simply take a walk around the block or visit a national park, getting outside can help. Time outside made a huge difference in my mental health during the pandemic.
- Ask for the day(s) off. Take the time off, whether you get out of town or stay put. Get it on the calendar. Set a reminder several days in advance to get everything ready so you really do step away. And try to leave work behind. No checking email. Turn on your out of office email and voicemail. Plan fun activities and moments to rest.
- Define emergencies. Does that email that arrived in your inbox really need your immediate attention or was your client in meetings all day and only now getting to her inbox? If you define emergencies ahead of time, you can know what needs your attention now and what can wait. Make sure your colleagues, manager, client(s), suppliers, and anything else who touches a project are on the same page. Define the emergencies and protocols. You'll be able to take advance of that downtime without interruption.
So, take time to rest to be at your best in all of your roles. How are you taking time to rest these days? Struggling to create downtime? How can I help?
Sending so much love and positive energy your way,
Suzanne
PS Whether you're getting kids ready for camp or back to school, you need labels! My favorites are TagMates from Mabel's Labels (affiliate link). Keep your kids' clothes and items out of summer camp and school lost & found! | 
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