I have created a ritual for myself: before and after work every day I take 10 minutes and meditate, which helps me calm down, focus my attention, be present, and mentally transition between work and home time. Making it a formal part of my schedule helps to ensure that I do it, and making it clear to my family that I need it helps to keep me accountable.
Getting back from a restorative two-week vacation, I talked a big game about making time for myself on a regular basis. Recognizing that I’m in a job with higher stakes than I’ve ever had before and that my physical and mental health could be at stake if I don’t make myself a priority, it’s time to make good on that claim.
So often in the corporate world we link busyness with value. As a manager, especially in a remote work situation, I try to stress that results are more important than image, and that productivity is a function of self care. Eighteen months into the pandemic, my team practically shoved me out the door for a vacation so I could finally practice what I preach.
Burnout is real, and time off is important. But, the way I do vacations, I usually come back more exhausted than I left. Christian and I took two weeks off for a road trip to visit friends and see the West, and we might be on to something with a more realistic pace, more unstructured down time, and more schedule flexibility than we’re used to.
Now that I am fully vaccinated, I should be excited about seeing friends and family again, but the prospect of socializing has filled me with more anxiety than relief. I’ve gotten used to a quieter, more mindful existence over the past year, and as “returning to normal” looms on the horizon, I can admit that there are some things I don’t want back.
Ballot questions are often written to be confusing and take advantage of psychological principles. Because of that, Pennsylvanians and Americans in general are unlikely to vote them down. This week, we’ll take a closer look at how the PA legislators are about to grant themselves more power without ever needing a super-majority to do it. (And remember to request your ballot if you haven’t already!)
Disproportionate attention is given to our presidential elections every four years, and we’re so exhausted afterwards that we never want to think about politics again. However, state and local elections are full of important decisions, which is why ignoring them has made presidential elections increasingly more dire. The ballot measures in this year’s PA primary are open to all voters and need our attention.
Over the past several months, we have been inundated with information, disinformation, and opinions about every aspect of COVID-19: origin, prevention, treatment, and political implications of each. In this digital world, it can be incredibly difficult to differentiate fact from fiction, leaving all of us open to dubious information that can encourage doubt – even in the most scientifically minded among us.
After eight weeks of Marie Kondo’s challenge, I can see small improvements throughout my house, but there’s a long way to go before reaching the goals I set in Week 1. Through this journey, the real transformation has not been with my things, but with me. By practicing mindful, daily gratitude for the last two months, I do feel more joy – and that is magical.
“Storage experts are hoarders,” says Marie Kondo. My struggle through the Miscellaneous category continues as I organize and store consumable goods that still that I can’t donate but can’t bring myself to trash. Our storage space is currently limited by roof and attic work, making the process even more frustrating, but hopefully keeping me more honest about what has a place in my future.