Tag: quiet time

Small updates

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Work has slowed down a bit and I find myself with a few moments of quiet. So I thought I’d write a small update. Things are still far from normal and I’ve been struggling a bit with motivation. I had great intentions of keeping this blog updated more frequently, and it’s still something I’d like to do, but it’s been a struggle. It doesn’t help that the weather outside has been cold and dreary most of the time haha. I’m certainly looking forward to spring and warmer weather.

I’ve just recently rediscovered the joy of writing short stories and scripts. And I’ve picked up my drawing pencil again. These small acts of creativity have helped brighten my days. I hope all of you are doing well, and if not, keep holding on. I hope things will take a turn for the better soon. Feel free to say hello if you’d like, it’s always a joy hearing from you 🙂

Life updates

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girl-2626753_1920Life has been hectic lately. I feel like I write this a lot. It seems to come in cycles. My work and social life pick up and things get so busy that I’m hanging on for dear life, just waiting for the ride to stop. Then I pick myself up, collect my thoughts, and take time to recharge.

It’s not a healthy cycle. I don’t enjoy burnout and the irritability that comes with it. With winter approaching, my social calendar has slowed. I’ve taken lots of quiet time to recharge and it’s been wonderfully freeing.

It’s also given me time to sit back and assess what I need to do going forward. I need to be more mindful and deliberate in how I spend my time and energy. It all comes back to the same issue: I have trouble saying no.

So to keep things simple, when I receive an invitation, I’m going to ask myself two questions. Do I want to go? If the answer is yes, and I have the energy, I’ll go. Pretty simple.

If the answer to my first question is no, I’ll follow up with another. Does this hold value for me? Spending time with people close to me is worth it. Even if I’m not at 100%. But a loud get-together with casual acquaintances is going to be a no.

Do you have any rules when it comes to socializing?

Another busy weekend

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japan-2014615_1920This past couple of weeks has been insane. I’ve been in preparation mode for a number of events, activities, and projects. With everything culminating this past weekend. As the deadline approached, I spent every spare moment finishing projects, organizing people, and working out last-minute details. Everything went well and it was a fun weekend. But I failed to get the necessary solitude during crunch time and it made an impact.

As a result, I was really struggling with burnout during the weekend, and especially on Sunday. My roommate and I had social activities on both Friday and Saturday. We then attended a local convention Sunday morning and afternoon. After that, we went out for bowling and dinner with friends. By the end of the night, I was highly irritable, emotional, and incapable of communicating coherently. I sat there miserably while the conversation flowed over me. It’s been a long time since I’ve been that burned out.

It’s Friday now and I’m still in recovery mode. Fortunately, this week has been a lot kinder. I went to dance class on Wednesday which was amazing. Both workouts and dance are great stress-relief outlets for me. I also spent all of Thursday evening relaxing quietly in my room which helped a lot.

I failed to plan for quiet time to recharge as I went through those two weeks. I thought I’d be okay if I just kept pushing myself. But I can’t survive on a filled-up social calendar with no time to recharge. Spring and summer are already looking pretty busy. So I need to be more proactive so I don’t end up burned out again. Lesson learned for sure.

Do you have any plans this weekend?

Life in fast forward

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reading-925589_1920I wanted to share a quick update to let you know I’m still alive. I was hoping things would slow down after the wedding. And in a way, they did. I ended up getting sick and fighting a cold for a week or so. Likely a result of late nights and long travel days. But as I recovered, things shifted into overdrive.

This week has been fun but draining. Monday and Tuesday I had dance class. The first is a partner dance, the second is solo. Dance is a creative and emotional outlet for me and it helps with stress relief. But it’s still a social activity. Tonight, I’m skyping with an out of country friend. I’m looking forward to it but it’s still draining. Thursday is a games night at my place with a few close friends. There will only be four of us and shouldn’t be too bad. I can always check out early if I need to. Friday afternoon is free of social activity but I still have errands to run. This weekend will have a few social obligations but I’m hoping I can keep them on the shorter side. I’ve been doing my best to squeeze in quiet time before bed. But I need more time to fully recover. Right now it feels like I’m treading water. I’m planning on spending a couple of hours on Sunday going for a quiet walk along the river. I may also bring a book. I think that will help a lot.

On the plus side, the weather here has improved dramatically and it seems spring may actually be on the way. It’s also been wonderfully sunny and bright which always makes me smile.

Do you have any plans this weekend? How have you been doing?