I recently got back from an absolutely jam-packed, fun-filled, crazy 4-day trip to Denver. I worked the night before I left, and worked a mere 9 hours after I got back home on Sunday night. Not to mention, my semester is still in full-swing. I know I'm not the only one out there with a hectic schedule that won't stop for me to catch my breath. Everyone has their different methods of dealing; their tried-and-true habits that bring them back to the norm. Here's what works for me.
First: I make sure I have plenty of healthful ingredients on hand so that I can make home-made, nourishing meals. Many times on vacation we survive off fast food or fine dining. Obviously fast-food wreaks chaos on our systems. Finer restaurants may have more healthful or varied options, but the fact remains that as a consumer you're not entirely sure how that food was sourced, stored, and prepared. A lot can be said about knowing where your food comes from. Plus, who doesn't love their favorite comfort-meal after a hectic trip?
Second: I do something nice for myself first thing after work, every day. Lately, this consists of making myself a cup of warm chai tea. Waiting for everything to warm up naturally forces me to slow down, and calm down. Added bonus: chai tea is delicious! I also like to give my feet or hands a nice softening treatment. First, I soak in warm water with Epsom salt for 5-10 minutes (this also helps to exfoliate), then I just dry my hands/feet and work in the oil. For deeper penetration, do this just before bed and wear socks. I use coconut oil or sweet almond oil, but you could also use olive oil. This really does a lot for me. After all, I'm on my feet all day and I use my hands constantly, for everything!
Third: Meditation and pranayama work wonders on a stressed body. This can be as simple as taking 5 long, deep breaths before making a phone call or leaving the house for work or errands. Yoga and exercise are marvelous as well. These two are more physical, and I find that sometimes I just need my brain to focus on something else, like what my body is doing. It doesn't even have to be anything fancy. I usually just move through basic asanas for a few minutes. Which asanas I do depends on what my body is telling me that day. After two or three days of this "lazy yoga" I feel prepared to jump back into my hour-long practices.
Fourth: This one is hard for me, but clean up any messes (of half-messes) that were left behind in the shuffle of starting your vacation. I usually leave a pile of receipts from my wallet on the table to be sorted through later, but clutter just enhances the feelings of stress and "one more thing to do". I find that my mind wanders less when my house isn't cluttered and messy. If I know I have to do something tedious when I get back from vacation (like dusting or vacuuming) I try to tackle that task before I even leave. Obviously this doesn't always work out in our favor, but even a little bit helps!
Fifth: I plan out my first week or two back from vacation. This way I'm less likely to forget to pay that bill, or submit that assignment. This also allows me to break up my tasks into manageable chunks. If I'm working a shorter shift, I try to tackle the very time-consuming tasks on those days (like laundry), and my week doesn't feel as hectic and jam packed as my vacation.
Hopefully one of these ideas serves you. Hopefully you can find something in this blog to relate to. What do you do to get back to center after being thrown off kilter? Please share your thoughts in the comments, I'd love to hear from you!
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