One of the things that's been coming out of my recent attempts to pay more attention to myself and my emotional needs is the idea of 'mini-retreats' - some have called them 'breaks' or 'breathers' from the daily stress-producing facts of everyday living.
I had an unexpected one today; I was heading from the washroom at work and was going to go to the vending machine to pick out some sort of naughty treat for myself - when a friend stopped me and we chatted in the hallway briefly. She said, "You look kind of tired, like you could use a pick-me-up. How about we go someplace nearby for some coffee?" That idea appealed to me.
So we went next door to the coffee shop, ordered our drinks (and I even had a yogurt - much better than what I was planning on having!) and sat outside in the sunshine to chat and have our treats. We talked about our non-work lives, shared views and opinions - like regular people.
What a welcome retreat from the mounting stresses of the day! It wasn't much, just fifteen minutes in total, but it re-energized me and allowed me to get through the next hour or so until the end of the work day.
It truly is amazing how a little pause can set the tone for the next little while. I need to do that more often. Or something similar perhaps - just to remind myself that things which I might think are earth-shattering ... won't matter even in six months. And work is only one part of my life - mind you, it takes up about a third of my time - but still, it's not the be-all and end-all. Little reminders like that can help me get some perspective and balance back in my thinking.
Thanks my friend. You gave me something to think about.
I had an unexpected one today; I was heading from the washroom at work and was going to go to the vending machine to pick out some sort of naughty treat for myself - when a friend stopped me and we chatted in the hallway briefly. She said, "You look kind of tired, like you could use a pick-me-up. How about we go someplace nearby for some coffee?" That idea appealed to me.
What a welcome retreat from the mounting stresses of the day! It wasn't much, just fifteen minutes in total, but it re-energized me and allowed me to get through the next hour or so until the end of the work day.
It truly is amazing how a little pause can set the tone for the next little while. I need to do that more often. Or something similar perhaps - just to remind myself that things which I might think are earth-shattering ... won't matter even in six months. And work is only one part of my life - mind you, it takes up about a third of my time - but still, it's not the be-all and end-all. Little reminders like that can help me get some perspective and balance back in my thinking.
Thanks my friend. You gave me something to think about.
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