Take A Hike
I could almost hear the storm brewing in my head. Wearing thin on sleep and patience, I was starting to wonder if this was getting a bit unhealthy. It was when I took a stop light turning red as a personal affront that it hit me: I needed a break. It’s at these points in time that we need to take it all the way back to elementary school: stop, drop and roll – right out the door.
As soon as I got home, instead of beginning work on a project as planned, I grabbed my hiking boots and headed to Green Lakes State Park. The drive is just long enough from my house that it provided enough distance between me and my desk. About 20 minutes into the drive, I could feel my shoulders start to relax. This break was counterintuitive but critical. When we are in the trenches, we feel that is the worst time to pause. Think back to a time when you were running on fumes. Was your work hitting a plateau? Or worse, perhaps it began to suffer? That is a sign that your mind and body are begging for a break.
We all know this feeling: deadlines looming, dwindling social commitments and sleepless nights. For even the most energetic among us, everybody has a limit. We think that it has to be full steam ahead or we risk falling behind; but working at a deficit causes us to do just that.
There are many types of fatigue. Some being mental, physical, spiritual and emotional. No matter the type of fatigue we have, they all have similar effects on our body.
During my hike at Green Lakes, it was serene and quiet. I hit the park at that sweet spot time where not many were around, so I felt like I had the whole place to myself. I didn’t need to try to forget, being out in nature did that for me. I breathed in fresh clean air, closed my eyes and felt grateful. Not only did my heavy deadlines feel lighter, but my mind also worked through some ideas that I was stuck on. All the sudden, a story I had hit a wall on had a rush of inspiration. Do this experiment: think of something you really love to do, then do it outside.
Always snapping moments? Make a photo story of a place that you love.
Bookworm? Park it on a bench with a little shade and a latte and let the breeze turn the pages.
Writer? Write a short story about someone you sat next to on a plane.
Or maybe a movie marathon? OK this one isn’t outside but hear me out. Instead of just dropping down on the couch and wasting hours, be intentional. Everyone has a list of movies that they’ve been meaning to watch. Pop some popcorn, break open some snacks, unroll cozy blankets and make it an intentional movie marathon.
One thing they don’t always tell you during orientation is to give yourself breaks. Yes, you may need to plan ahead – but just knowing that you have a break in your schedule will lift a weight off your back.
