Many of you are wrapping up exams right now and gearing up for summer break. Some of you have graduated and are now ready to start the next phase of your life. All of this is wonderful and exciting! Some of you are great at the relaxing part of the summer. Some of you stay so busy all summer you don't feel like you enjoy it. We all need to find balance.
I'm gearing up to take some cognitive coaching classes this summer, work on my business and connect more with family and friends. A wise woman reminded me yesterday that I must also carve out time to take care of myself. Actually, people are reminding me of this ALL THE TIME. I must be a slow learner in this regard. But, they're correct. If I do not take care of myself, I won't be working up to my full potential. And, I'm a mommy of two amazing children and the wife of a wonderful husband. If I don't take care of ME, I won't be as good of a mommy and wife because I'll be burnt out. Not to mention, my students and mentees...
So, here is my plan. You should totally use this and steal it. It's good stuff.
1. I'll plan "me time." This time is for me alone, to be alone. This time is tech free. It might be on a yoga mat, riding a trail, writing in a journal, taking a walk, or reading a book in the sun. I'm going to schedule it in, put it on the calendar and make the time sacred.
2. I'm going to recharge. This can be done alone (see above) or with a group. Whatever it is, it's NOT going to involve work. It might be a movie, visiting the neighbor's patio, planning a dinner with friends or calling someone I haven't talked ot in a while. (Not a text... an old school call!)
3. I'm going to set small, obtainable goals. I'm going to start by making my projects list. Then, each week I'm going to set small goals to get those things done throughout the week. I'll revisit the big list every week or two, but I'm not going to stress over it. I'll do things in small chunks.
So, take a deep breath. Find some balance in your world. Take care of yourself and each other.
All the best, LP