It’s January! The time where we all take a good hard look at our lives and think about something that we want to improve about ourselves. For me, sometimes just existing is hard. The idea of throwing a resolution on top of my to-do list just sounds completely overwhelming. "Isn't it a little late to be thinking about resolutions?" you ask. Well, yes. But the point is that I don't have to challenge myself at this time of the year. I don’t need a new exercise routine or a new hobby. I just need to find flexibility and REST.
“BUT HOW?” you scream. And I hear you. As we process all the changes in the world, the struggle to keep up with work responsibilities, home responsibilities, and more, is real and can lead to burnout. But there are ways to be more intentional with our time. Check out this quote from a journal article about burnout:
“Simple self-care strategies for combatting burnout include getting sufficient rest and exercise, engaging in relaxation techniques such as meditation, focusing on non-work-related social activities such as hobbies or volunteering, limiting exposure to communications technology, and organizing one's priorities while advocating for flexibility. Attitude adjustment, emotional support from loved ones and counseling professionals, and self-reflection about specific stressors can help as well.”
Rholetter, W. Me. (2021). Burnout (psychology). Salem Press Encyclopedia.
The Essential Guide to Burnout
Do I sometimes want to stop doing anything? Yes. Is that what I’m going to do? Well, no. I simply want to take a step back and adjust my expectations for myself and perhaps find out what I want to prioritize in my life again, the things that bring me joy and feel meaningful.
What's the thing that you're worrying about that you maybe don't need to worry about? Where can you find ease? Does it mean leaving the floor unswept an extra day so that you can do yoga? Does it mean skipping the yoga so you can get a couple of extra minutes of rest or read a book?
Luckily for all of us, we aren't in this alone. There are many books on this topic and, of course, HCPL has you covered!
Need some help and inspiration to get you on the right track to finding ease and doing less?
The Extremely Busy Woman's Guide to Self Care
My phone is one stressor that I want to limit in my life. It distracts me and keeps me from relaxing. I get home tired from work, I cook dinner, I clean up the house and then I sit down to relax. And, of course, I pull out my phone. Before I know it, I've spent an hour or more doom-scrolling. Counterproductive. NOT relaxing! The Bored But Brilliant challenge is a few years old now (2015 was 9 years ago??), but still relevant! What's nice about the challenge is that you're not expected to completely break up with your phone. It is asking you to give some thought to how you're using it. If you feel the same way, check out the books we have on this topic as well!
Does encouraging you to read books about how to do less seem like I'm actually telling you to do more? You can always check out our DVD collection, our movie database Kanopy, or music database, Freegal!
If this blog isn’t speaking to you because you feel like you’ve been letting things go a little too much and are avoiding your life and responsibilities, check out Kara’s blog “Hello 2023, Goodbye Goblin Mode.”
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