Friday evening comes along, and you find yourself ending your work week. If only it was easy enough to “shut-off” and relax. Depending on your position or the amount of work you do it can be difficult to shut down the ‘monkey mind’. You may have racing thoughts or perhaps you feel dazed and under a cloud. If you sit at a desk all day you may be experiencing stiffness or tightness in your back, shoulders, neck or even have a headache. Brain fog occurs when the mind is not clear. If you stare at a computer all day you might be experiencing eyestrain, fatigue, or even symptoms of burn-out.
Ask yourself a few questions:
Am I getting enough sleep per night?
Do I nourish my body with healthy foods during the day?
Is there enough time for rest and relaxation during my breaks?
It’s not always easy to power-down the way you do your computer. The mind is active and likes to revisit events from the past or plan for future scenarios. When the weekend rolls along do your best to reset from your workweek. Take things slowly. Absorb each moment.
Perhaps on a Friday night you soak in a warm tub with candles, magnesium salts, and a calming tea while you read your favorite book. Even if you only take 20 minutes to give yourself back some tender care and love it can be a lovely way to segment your work week from your weekend. As you take a calming bath imagine you are soaking away your tension from the day. As you get out of the bath imagine leaving your workday behind.
We live in a society that is built on doing more to accomplish more. Studies have found that when you take breaks and give yourself a reset such as enjoying a weekend or time off you return to work more productive. In this sense do less to accomplish more.
Try to make this a weekly ritual. Experiment with what works best for you. Try something new each week until you find yourself craving that reset each Friday night. It could be as simple as streaming a new movie while you enjoy a glass of wine or playing a game with family. Find something that you enjoy that takes your mind off work and allows you to focus on the relaxation you need.