Bella
The importance of
powering down
By Maryann Reid
A
t the end of the day, the body
naturally winds down with
feelings of tiredness and
contemplation. As your mind
ruminates over the day’s lessons and
incidences, it leaves you wondering
what could have been improved or
what should happen next time. Not to
mention, all the sound bites you picked
up during the day, “We may need to
change your class schedule,” “You
will have 5 new students in your class
on Sunday,” or “Can you volunteer for
a school event next week? We need
you.”
Thankfully, there are safe, practical
ways to ‘power down’ without losing
your power.
Cultivate a ‘still home’
A ‘still home’ is orderly, clean, and
feels good upon entering. Squabbles
with spouses, kids, and nuisances are
minimal. A simple act of freshening up
the drains with a splash of pine sol or
ammonia to clean out residue, trapped
smells, and old food, can make all the
difference. The smell of fresh pine can
awaken the senses and trick the mind
into thinking “all is well” and clean with
your home. We don’t have more than
a few hours at night to wind down.
Short cuts are okay.
Keep noise to a minimum
Don’t turn on the television for
background noise as soon as you
walk in the door. Similar to ‘stilling’ a
home, the quietness of the first hour
grounds and refocuses your attention
on yourself. After work, your mind may
keep racing with its demands. Learn
to train yourself to alternate between
activity and rest.
Read a favourite book or
exercise
Distract yourself for at least 30 minutes
with a topic or experience unrelated to
work. Exercise and reading stop the
mental chatter to help you transition to
a peaceful night.
Eat a satisfying meal
Noshing on light snacks and dates may
be okay in between classes. However,
in the evenings, make eating a fun
event with minimal effort. A nourishing
slow-cooked lamb stew, a quick shrimp
salad with homemade dressing, or
an elaborate display of caviar and
crackers on your best dinnerware,
does wonders for an otherwise tired
soul. Choose something that makes
you feel one of these three things:
richer than you really are, slimmer than
you look, or comforted when you feel
like you’ve lost. Write down at least
one meal that does this. It will instantly
lift your spirits, and transition you out
of professional work mode into selfcare mode.
Prepare an evening drink
A soothing evening drink can include
your favourite tea, herb elixir or tonic,
fruit smoothie or a large cup of steaming
hot chocolate with marshmallows. Stay
away from anything caffeinated.
Choosing a power down method
that supports you is crucial to your
professional success.
A satisfying
sense of confidence and relief
emerges when you get control over
your after-work life, without making it
another job.
Maryann Reid, a personal coach and
educator. To connect with her, visit www.
booksandbuzz.com.
After The Bell
|
|
May - Jun 2015
| 43