I don’t know about you, but I have been taking way too many naps lately. I get a good eight hours of sleep almost every night. I seem to have developed this pattern of getting up around 3:00, but I quickly fall back to sleep. For some reason, though, I’m sleepy and ready for a nap about 2:30 or so. I think it may be winter wearing on me right now even though I love winter!
Being busy…
We live in a world where being busy is practically a badge of honor – and that’s not a good thing. We’ve got long workdays, long to do lists, and deadlines that aren’t long enough, and it’s so exhausting. Yes, ambition is great and hard work does pay off, but the truth is we just weren’t meant to live in hustle mode full-time. When I was teaching, I quickly realized I’d gotten as high up the ladder as I wanted to go. Being a principal just wasn’t for me. I think, when you’re a teacher, you only have a couple of options for climbing the ladder…and that was OK with me.
Taking a break…
At some point, you’ve basically got to step away, take a deep breath, and just exist for a while – it’s so important. You’re not being lazy, you’re actually recharging so you can enjoy life rather than just surviving it, so it’s clearly a good thing to do. With that in mind, keep reading to find out more about why we all need to escape the hustle sometimes. Luckily for me, I had those weeks off in the summer. I know lots of people jokingly (or not so jokingly) say people become teachers for June, July, and August. Ask any teacher, and they’ll just laugh. I took classes to get my Master’s Degree and then additional classes to renew my license. In addition, my corporation “offered” workshops to put HET (Highly Effective Teaching) in place. I say offered because, if you didn’t take them in the summer, they’d send you during the school year. If you’re a teacher, you’ll get it when I say I hated being out of my classroom. Lesson planning for a sub is not fun.
Needing a reset…
Think about the last time you had a truly clear mind. What I mean is, when there were no emails to think about, no deadlines, no worrying about what’s coming next or what you just did. Instead, you’ll just be present in the moment. It’s a rare thing, isn’t it? That’s because we spend so much time thinking, planning, and stressing that we never give our brains a chance to breathe. We’re always (maybe, it’s just me) thinking about the next thing we need to do. I have this bad habit of overscheduling my mind.
Getting away…
When you take a break, whether it’s a weekend getaway or an afternoon by the lake, you’re not just relaxing, you’re totally resetting your brain. If you’re able to do that and get away from the constant stimulation even for a little while, it can help with problem-solving, creativity, and overall mental clarity. Making time for it makes a lot of sense. Imagine sitting quietly in a soft chair with your favorite beverage and doing absolutely nothing. I really should take my own advice, right?
Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger
The sound of water…
There’s something about fresh air, open water, and the sound of waves that instantly calms the mind… not sure about that? Well, science backs it up and studies have shown that being around water has been shown to reduce stress, lower anxiety, and boost happiness levels. I need to convince Nigel of this because beach vacations are just not his cup of tea. I love the sound of water so much. I had four tabletop fountains in my classroom. And, no, that didn’t lead to increased trips to the restroom for my students! Do you ever notice how many of those ASMR videos or even the spa usually have waves crashing as soothing background?
Stress reliever…
That’s why so many people turn to boating as their ultimate escape, for example. Nothing is better than leaving the noise behind and getting out on the water so you can really soak up the peace and quiet. If that sounds like the kind of rest you could benefit from, it could be time to check out Smoker Craft boats for sale so you can get away when you need to and get some much-needed stress relief. I have tried (sometimes joking, many times not) to get Nigel to buy a pontoon boat. There’s a reservoir close to us so we definitely have a place to use one. Sounds like Heaven to me.
Burnout…
The truth is that most of us are pushing ourselves way too hard – we might think we’ll get a chance to stop and rest once we reach a certain target or goal (look for an update soon). But, when the finish line keeps moving, and there’s always something else to do, that could mean rest never comes – at least not until your body forces you to rest because you’ve burned out. I have to admit burnout played a big role in my decision to retire early. I think it’s partly behind the current teacher shortage in our country.
A little more…
A lot of people think burnout is just feeling quite tired, but it’s a lot more than that – it’s essentially mental exhaustion, loss of motivation, and even physical symptoms like headaches and insomnia, not to mention raised blood pressure due to stress. The best way to avoid burnout is to have breaks and actually build them into your routine so you can stop before it becomes a necessity. For me, those summer breaks didn’t work because I was always thinking about my classroom and curriculum. I guess I wasn’t really taking a true break.
The outfit…
I started this look with a jersey dress from Gudrun Sjoden. I then added the pomegranate slip. Because the necklines of the jersey dresses rarely suit me, I wound a pomegranate patterned scarf around my neck. You can just barely see them, but the larger flowers have red centers. It’s my version of a one and done! I don’t love this look, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.
The Lewk…
I have been on a bit of a pink topaz kick lately. The earrings are an eBay purchase from many, many years ago. The bracelet was a Christmas gift from my daughter before she got married. This was from Red Envelope, a company I loved. They had quirky jewelry and other goodies. I see it’s become a part of another company, Personal Creations. I briefly skimmed through the site, and it looks like they’ve retained the vibe of Red Envelope. I didn’t skim far enough to see if they still had my bracelet, though. These are my Miz Mooz Calla Cap Toe boots. Gosh, I love Miz Mooz…the leather is like buttah! And, talk about comfort! I have some Nordy notes to use up so who knows?
Wrap it up, Marsha!
We always seem to think in terms of “the good old days,” don’t we? I sometimes wonder if they were so good. I also think I lived in a very insulated world. My hometown was small (about 4-5,000 people), and my parents had a loving marriage. Most of the moms in our neighborhood didn’t work outside the home. There was no keeping up with the Joneses. But, I was also a kid so what do I know! So, can we talk? Do you feel the world is a busier place these days? What do you do to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life? Do you find the sound of falling water soothing? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as I can.
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I often say I’m a nostalgic person, but part of nostalgia may be to actually think those times were better which is not something I do. I’m just picking out the chocolate chips that were good memories or something I like from the past – like my collection – as we humans tend to do, but I’m very well aware of it. No, those weren’t always good times and no, not everything today is always bad for everyone. There is a lot more information for us around, though, which is always around us and always ready at hand, no matter where we are (unless there’s a very bad connection), and so it often seems to be too hard to escape it and it weighs and wears us down which makes the old days seem to have been so much easier.
My favorite is the sound of rain. I sometimes use a noise machine to fall asleep and I probably use the rain setting about 95% of the time.
https://catswire.blogspot.com/
Thanks, Cat. I love that…the chocolate chips that were good memories. I do agree that the constant access to information (true, not true, twisted, etc) is so debilitating. I have stopped doom scrolling for just that reason. I think I was lucky to have grown up when and where I did though I’m sure there were some very unsavory people in my neighborhood and town.
I am thinking I need to get a noise machine. I think my son uses an app on his phone.
Very true, Marsha, the 24/7 demands on life are very gruelling.
Thanks, Rosie. It’s sad that we are the reasons for it, too. I try not to get too caught up in schedules, but I’ve come to rely on them the past few years.
Such a good read Marsha! You are so right about needing to rest and reset. It’s hard to unplug sometimes but it feels so good. During jury duty I was not attached to my phone nor my smart watch and it felt so good to just be in the moment. I agree, it is necessary.
I’d love to own a pontoon boat. I think it would be so relaxing and wonderful. If we lived closer to the water, I’d make a strong suggestion for it to my husband!
xo,
Kellyann
Thanks, Kellyann! There are times I purposely leave my phone behind. I don’t have a Smart watch for that very reason. Actually, I don’t even wear a watch anymore. I have lots of beautiful watches, but I just forget to wear them. I love clocks so we have several in the house…love the sound of them ticking. I would love to have a pontoon. My Aunt June had one, and we would have such a wonderful time on it, just floating on the lake.
I spend way too much time ducking out on my busy… I’m doing it right now! I think that only adds to the busy because I’m just delaying the inevitable and condensing the time I have to do things. (It’s not like it isn’t the habit of a lifetime for me…). What it REALLY does is prevent me from getting to other fun stuff, like sewing etc.
I love your style, by the way! It’s so creative and fun!
Thanks, Em! I hear you…that’s why I’m the Queen of Procrastination. I’ve had two weeks to read three chapters in a book, and I’ve still got one to read before Saturday at 11:00am (it’s 8:30pm on Friday). I have to really push myself to do things on time…that’s why my posts seem to go out late these days!
I’m having a of week! And it’s rather relaxing. Well, I’m not feeling well, the flu, but not doing a thing is quit good as I was very very tired the last couple of weeks. I always feel super relaxed as we are near the sea!
I hope you’re much better now, Nancy. I know, when you feel badly, the entire day is ruined. Sending you all kinds of positive vibes and good stuff!
The sound of rain, a babbling brook, waves in sea, the crash of a waterfall – I’m a fan of all of it!
It sounds like we need a beach vacation, Sally! I love waterfalls, too!
My husband has definitely been suffering from burnout for months and months and was recently diagnosed with diabetes from it all. I think the chronic stress just killed his pancreas or something. Teachers definitely do not have it easy – they never did and it is worse now!
Love the outfit – those shoes. I think I must be a shoes person. I always love shoes.
Thanks, Lisa! I have always loved shoes because they’re such an easy way to change the look of something. Of course, when I was growing up, I had two pairs of shoes…one pair for Sundays and one pair for school. In the summer, we wore flip flops (though we called them thongs then…hahaha)!
I hope your husband’s diabetes is getting under control. I know regulating it is difficult at times. What really angers me about teachers and teaching is that, when you ask the person complaining, they’ll almost always say, “Oh, I didn’t mean my kids’ teacher or school or corporation.” They’re just parroting what they hear and read in the news. Teaching is the absolute best job in the world, and I miss it every single day. But, the atmosphere and the pressure…that I don’t miss. I had to leave because I honestly didn’t like the person I became when I entered the building its toxic (metaphorically, not physically) atmosphere.
I love the sound of water which is why I need to get some type of sound machine. I love the look and dying over that pink metallic bag!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thanks, Kathrine! It was my birthday gift to myself when Macy’s had a F&F sale. I think there’s actually an app you can use for that. I don’t like lots of apps, but now you’ve got me thinking about getting a sound machine.
First of all, that outfit is stunning on you, Marsha. Also, I couldn’t agree more about the importance of rest and resetting. I’ve been doing much more of that since I retired and I love it! I do find the sound of water…whether it’s a creek, a fountain, ocean waves, or rain falling…so relaxing.
Thank you, Christie! I appreciate the compliment. I have been begging for an outdoor fountain. We lived at our house up north for 25 years before I finally got one, and then we moved a couple of years later. Sooner or later, I’m going to figure it out for this house because that sound is just so calming. I’m glad you’ve found retirement a good thing. So many don’t. There are many days I regret my early retirement only because I miss teaching. I think being a docent will give me that back.
Hi, Marsha – And you thought about all this when you were at the art gallery? Just joking. Lol! I’ve been tired all the time lately and wanting to slow down because everything is speeding up. I feel the same as you, that there’s always more to be done. And not just more, but too much. I’m also the same with the 3 am wake-up. And a nap is wanted often nowadays; I never was able to take a nap before in my life! Well, I’ve also been waking up after about six hours of sleep instead of eight and I used to love to get nine as often as possible. I have no idea where all these changes are coming from. It could be from body, mind or soul…and/or societal and earth changes. Anyway, I prefer your idea of a vacation to what I’ve been getting. Visiting a friend out of town or going to on a cruise is full of activity and no rest. I might have to add an extra vacation every year to just get away with my husband for some rest and relaxation! Thanks for sharing your thoughts – Angie, http://www.yourtrueselfblog.com
Hahaha!!! All I could think of was where is the right lighting! I hear you on the naps. It used to be that if I took a nap, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. But, now, I’m finding my sleep pattern has been quite disturbed. I can get to sleep around 1:00am and sleep until that required 3:00am wakeup. Then, I just toss and turn and doze until I get up around 8:30. I guess that’s why all the naps. I am pretty stressed out about a lot of things right now so that probably doesn’t help. Hopefully, it will change in a bit. I’d love a vacation when I do nothing or just visit a couple of things. I think that’s why I love train travel so much. The resting is kinda built right in.
Thanks, Angie!