I’ve needed to recharge this month. Work and life have been challenging. Between moving to a new home, my son changing daycare, and significant stresses at work, I started to notice that my battery was draining a lot faster than it was getting recharged. I was getting back pain and even when I wasn’t at work (pushing my son on a swing, eating ice cream, chatting with my wife) I was still thinking about work. Worse, the stress levels weren’t dropping – if anything I was getting stressed more quickly than ever before and it was taking me longer to bounce back. With this in mind, I started considering specific steps I could take to combat the stress so that when I was at work (or at home) I was reaching my true potential. Here are five ways to recharge your batteries.
Exercise
Exercise has as clear and positive endorphin releasing effect. It’s also great psychologically – for me it pushes concerns out of my head while it pushes my body. I’ve had success in building this into my commute (I try to ride back and forth to work twice a week) as well as recently experimented with walking meetings. Finally, on weekends, my family tries wherever possible to cycle where we need to go instead of drive. The combination of these activities has had a noticeable impact on my ability to recharge, forcing my away from my phone/email and into a better state of mind.
Be schedule free
I like to jam a lot of things together to ensure maximum efficiency. But one of the things I’ve increasingly learned from my wife is the importance of unscheduled time. Particularly when dealing with a little person, time really flies and its easy to see an over-scheduled calendar as a burden (even when it is full of stuff that you want to do). I’ve noticed how leaving more free time can make a big difference.
Consider my affirmations
When you’re in a stressful time, one thing to consider is whether there are affirmations that you can walk yourself through to disconnect your mind from the circular concerns that can really spin it up. My wife and I brainstormed five affirmations that I now keep in a handy place and review anytime I start worrying about my performance/approach:
- Let go of fear (of failure) and focus on doing your best
- Embrace vulnerability and learning
- Be reflective – what would my favorite real or fictional leader do in this situation?
- Operate from a place of confidence and integrity – state the facts thoughtfully
- Be the solid rock on which the lighthouse stands because the storm will pass
These resonate with me, but you likely have your own that will fit with your philosophy around work/life. It can help to write them down and keep them handy.
Be intentional about your hobby
I like to cook. When I get busy, it can be difficult to find the time and my family will quickly default to quick/simple/not always healthy meals. Then, after the evening routine and our son is down for the count at bed time, we’ll spend the remaining hour or two meandering around online (damn you, YouTube). Using time this way does nothing to recharge my batteries. After two hours of searching the web, I almost always feel like I’ve wasted my time and remain just as zonked/strung out. Instead, I’m trying to be more intentional (where possible) with my time by working in a hobby such as prepping the next day’s meal (something I actually enjoy doing), reading a great book or doing “headers” with my son at the park.
Spend quality time
This often falls by the wayside when work life is really busy. But for me, one of the most rejuvenating things I can do is spend quality time with my family and friends. Carving out specific time to catch up – whether it’s with friends or family can be key to recharging your batteries. Sometimes it just takes a few beers or a plate of nachos to reconnect with what makes you vibrant. Other times, your family or friends can offer you a great place to vent about frustrations that’s inhibiting your recharge. Regardless, time with those you care most about just can’t be bad – can it?