I don’t know about you, but I often sense a significant shift in momentum this time of year. Professionals who have enjoyed long weekends, short Fridays and (hopefully) vacations over the summer tend to settle back in and reset schedules for the year-end push.
Certainly, this is the case in academia, where I spent much of my career. The start of the school year is a natural time to plug in more deeply at work. But with the last quarter of the year approaching – and some fiscal years ending in a few short weeks – there is good reason to push strong performance in many sectors.
If you and your organization are buckling up for a big push of work before the holiday season arrives, be sure to make self-care your co-pilot. That’s what I’ll be doing. Here’s how I keep myself feeling great, so I can be at my best.
Move more
Movement can make all the difference for managing stress and building physical and emotional resilience. I find everything is easier when I engage in a regular movement practice. That’s why I am recommitting to manageable exercise after an injury forced me to ease off exercise.
The right mix for me involves strength training a couple of times a week, plus some yoga and cardio. It may be different for you. What matters most when you are busy is that you make it realistic. Choose something compatible with the calendar and life you have today — not your dream schedule,where anything is possible. If all else fails, throw on some sneakers and get a power walk in between (or during!) meetings.
Get enough sleep
Most of us are perpetually underslept, and our hyperconnected, always-on world is making this worse. For me, the best antidote is an intentional sleep hygiene practice. That means regular bedtime and rising time; staying off electronics for at least an hour before bed (I put my phone in another room – it’s the only way for me!); and gentle yoga or meditation.Simple changes that are not easy, so it may help to engage your partner or others in your home.
Drink enough fluids
Something I like to do when I need a jolt of energy is skip the coffee and drink a full glass of water. It is amazing how much this can help. Of course, regular attention to hydration is best. Do whatever it takes to set yourself up for success – a fun water bottle, flavored electrolyte powders, sparkling water if you are more prone to drink with bubbles, or just a little cucumber or lemon. Like with sleep hygiene and movement, you’ll have much more luck if you make it easy to stay happily hydrated.
Do something purely for the love of it
It’s hard to overstate the pleasure that comes from doing something simply for joy. I was recently given a piano by a family member, and it’s been such fun getting it tuned and ready to play. I took lessons for 11years, but it’s been ages since I played regularly. I’m settling into a routine of playing for 30 minutes a few times a week, and it’s been pure magic. I feel more grounded and more me. I highly recommend finding your own practice for joy and making time for it.
Make space for rest
Although sleep is a lovely way to recharge, when I suggest making space for rest, I am talking about something that goes beyond sleep. It’s an approach to life that fueled some of history’s greatest, most creative minds, such as Charles Darwin, Thomas Edison and Ludwig van Beethoven. And author Alex Soojung-Kim Pang argues it has a place in our working world today.
In the book “Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less,” Pang enumerates the benefits of what he calls “deliberate rest,” persuasively arguing that we are more effective at work when we consistently unplug for a very different kind of pursuit. It could be rock climbing, painting or baking, to name a few. What matters is that it pulls your focus out of work and into something you’re passionate about.
For me, rest includes gardening, and you can bet I’ll be outside sinking my hands into the soil now that the heat is easing up.
Your self-care September
Now it’s your turn. The approaches above keep me thriving at work and beyond. What works for you? Please let me know, and let's keep the self-care momentum going!
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