A few weeks ago, I wrote about how to Prevent Burnout with Strong Self-Care.
If you are anything like me, you likely find it hard to take a break. Unplugging is a challenge and the to-do lists are miles long, or maybe there are even multiple lists. We are surviving in a world that constantly tells us to hustle and that being busy all the time is the new normal.
This year has caused an increase in “brain fog” for everyone. Trying to do everything that we normally do, while also staying healthy during a global pandemic is sure to put a strain on our mental capacity. Many of our normal self-care routines have been taken away from us too, making recharging harder: gyms are closed, spas, salons, travel, group classes, etc. are all shut down in many places. We have also seen drastic changes to how we have to work and/or go to school/send our kids to school.
As we head into the festive holiday season, there is no doubt that your life will be full of stressors while you rush around, even if it’s just mental rushing around while social distancing. Holiday cards, Zoom gatherings, online gift shopping, all while maintaining relationships, jobs, and your household. It’s enough to make anyone feel rundown, right?!
As we complete 2020, a year that has caused so much change within all of us, it is time to start thinking about those New Year’s Resolutions. Maybe next year is the year you commit to your goals and desires.
I have learned the importance of recharging in order to truly gain clarity on my goals. It requires a lot of self-love and self-care during (deserved) breaks!
Most of us are attached to our phones. We charge our phones daily – why shouldn’t we give ourselves the same treatment? Our bodies and minds work just like our phones, they need charging to perform optimally. We have all had a rough night of sleep (or maybe many!) and we simply don’t do our job as well when we feel tired and rundown during the day. No matter what field you work in, it is important to recharge in order to perform your best and to gain or maintain clarity on your goals.
Getting ourselves recharged goes beyond getting adequate sleep. We need to maintain our wellbeing mentally, physically, spiritually, and more.
Here are 10 ways to help you recharge to gain clarity:
- Review Your Goals. This one may seem obvious, but it is hard to do when we don’t feel motivated. Having goals can help us keep up our drive and motivation. When we know why, and remember why, we want to do what it is we want to do, it helps us to gain clarity. Clarity can lead to an increase in focus and motivation. Simply keeping track of your goals (and even writing them down somewhere to revisit when you need) can help recharge your motivation.
- Get Some Rest, Both Physical and Mental. It is pretty easy to figure out if we are morning people or evening people. This can help us determine the best time of day to take a physical rest and/or a mental break. We are constantly tuned in to technology, work, family, friends, relationships, the news, household chores, errands that need to be run, etc. It is physically exhausting to do it all and it is mentally taxing. It is imperative to take some time to just slow down your body and mind to recharge. This can boost productivity and alertness, improve our memory and ability to learn, improve our physical and mental health, relieve stress, and generally elevate our mood. Rest can look like a nap, meditation, reading, writing, listening to music, or whatever activity promotes some rejuvenation for you.
- We all know exercise is good for your physical and mental health. It is a great way to recharge. Our minds and bodies are completely connected and taking time to care for your physical body will also help elevate your mood and focus. Exercise can recharge your body, mind, soul and spirit.
- Giving back can be a natural way to boost your mood. It is harder to do in-person volunteer opportunities right now, but if you can find way to donate or virtually volunteer you may experience an increased connection to others. These connections can help you be inspired to reach your own goals, or even meet someone that can advance your career or drive.
- Do a Deep Clean. I don’t know about you but I know if I have a pile of laundry, a stack of dishes, or an insane amount of clutter, it makes it harder for me to focus. If you can clear out some of the physical blockages in your home and space, it may help clear out some mental blockages you aren’t even aware exist. Deep cleaning can also help you revisit and/or clear out your past. Perhaps you’ll stumble upon something that will spark an old goal, or maybe you can even clear out some stimuli that simply no longer serves you.
- Fill Your Life with Gratitude. I talk about gratitude and journaling a lot on my social media. Simply writing down what we are grateful for is a fantastic way to recharge. Feeling grateful makes you feel good and that can lead to opening up your mind to all kinds of possibilities. Feelings of gratitude can reduce anxiety, insomnia, and even physical ailments. Finding things to be grateful for can be simple like; your spouse, your pet, your home, your job, your health, food in the fridge, etc. You can also look at the bigger picture or find more specific things to focus on. When we realize how fortunate we are (through feeling gratitude), we can feel recharged, stronger and more confident to go after our goals.
- Engage with Nature. Whether you live somewhere that you can hear the birds, see the waves, watch the snow fall, listen to the rain, or whatever nature surrounds you, tune into it. We can feel calm and more recharged by appreciating nature and our natural surroundings. Fresh air can help with clarity and forgetting about some of the mental clutter that prevents us from focusing on our goals. Block off time to enjoy nature during your week and reap the uplifting benefits.
- Pamper Yourself. Pampering yourself is a very personal choice. Some people like to splurge on a purchase they’ve been eyeballing for a while. Others have an at-home spa day. Some eat a delicious meal. Treating yourself makes you feel like you deserve to have nice things. When we feel like we deserve things, we are more likely to continue that momentum and go after our goals that we deserve.
- If I run out of ideas, feel tired, or lack motivation and creativity, it is important for me to unplug and do something that has nothing to do with my work. Normally, I pet my dog or call a friend. After that I feel recharged and able to get back to work. This can work with refocusing on my goals too. Taking a break from technology and the stress it can bring can help us recharge.
- Find a New Hobby or Tackle a Tough Project. Pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone is the epitome of how we reach our goals. Recharging by throwing ourselves into a new hobby to help show us what we are capable of if we try something new can lead to so much success. It may sound silly but if you learn a new instrument, fix a frustrating tech problem on your own, attempt a new arts and crafts project, you may gain some confidence to go after bigger goals as well.
While I am all about going after your goals full-force, sometimes it is imperative to take a step back and reconnect with the why behind the goal. Recharging is a vital step in this process. Be kind to yourself so you can achieve all that you deserve.
