Over the last 2 weeks, I've covered the plan for the body and the brain. Now it's time to focus on what will reintroduce that spark of inspired energy to life.
~ A mini-update to the previous post: I'm now reading "8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery" by Babette Rothschild at the request of my primary therapist (she says that especially the past year at work counts as a traumatic event causing PTSD symptoms, yes, it has been that bad). I'm also reading "Cooked" by Michael Pollan at the request of my group therapist who thinks I'd enjoy it (he is right!), since I love cooking/fermentation and am on a quest to heal my digestive system. ~
7: Take a freaking break, and stop hoarding vacation time.
Everybody was shocked to find that I had accumulated over the maximum of 240 vacation hours allowed at work. I was confused by the reaction... besides the mandatory week of vacation during Christmas, hadn't I been turned down for a real vacation for a few years? If I can't take time off during the semester because it is too busy and we are short-handed, and I can't take time off during winter or summer "breaks" because that is when all the prep for the next semester and training of new employees happens (or when I have to cover for a coworker being gone), then when can I squeeze it in?
And then, I was also saving vacation time intentionally for when I became pregnant, so that I could spend more time at home with a baby or leave work earlier. This is kind of silly, considering that the end goal was to stay at home after having kids anyway.
I think this is a case of "you can't take it to the grave." Vacation doesn't do me any good if I am not using it. It also turns out that talking with HR can quickly change the tune of those who don't want you to leave work.
I now have 1.5 weeks off planned for August, and the entire Thanksgiving week, and will plug in days here and there over the next few months for a bit of refreshment. This is a LOT compared to what I'm used to. I have a feeling our next destination will be the beach!
The husband and the puppy at Dillon Beach.
Nothing says freedom like the open sky and open sand. And the chasing of seagulls.
8: Have easy, clear goals.
If you are mired in the day-to-day grind and things feel hopeless, I am told that the cure is having both short-term and long-term fun/inspiring goals to look forward to.
- Short term:
- Implement ALL of the Burnout Recovery Experiment.
- Plan the August Vacation, and weekend mini-vacations.
- Teach the puppy new tricks. She is pretty darn smart, and the parents are already impressed (she rings the bell when she needs to go outside). We are currently working on how to bark on command.
- Wrap my job up into a tidy package to hand over to someone else.
- Prepare for life after employment. I actually can't stop planning for it... you'd think it was a zombie apocalypse or something. A zombie apocalypse with a disco ball, peppy music, really fun hats, and Klingon bat'leths.
- Long term:
- Leave the workforce for a while.
- Finish moving in (did I mention we moved a year and a half ago?), and clean out the garage to set up a mead, cider, and beer-making station.
- Flex my crafting skills and try my hand at starting an Etsy store.
- Excel at domestic goddessry. Deeply impress my husband with the deliciousness of the meals and the welcoming joyful atmosphere of the home. This is a bit of spiritual refreshment for everybody, as I am not the only one with a rough schedule.
As you can imagine, these goals are keeping me focused on the positives in the future.
9: Do 3 things every day that are fun or spiritually refreshing.
Normally they say to do 1 thing, but let's be honest, this is some intensive recovery that I am planning on here. What do I find to be healing for my spirit?
- Switching into Fun Pants (otherwise known as yoga pants) at the end of the day, and letting my hair down.
- Gardening, hiking, and otherwise getting out into nature.
- Reading, blogging, and researching random bits of useless knowledge.
- Meditation, prayer, and keeping (battery-operated) candles lit on my desk to remind me to tend my inner fire.
- Hanging out with the husband, playing with the puppy, caring for the fish tanks.
Shrimp zen.
This is gonna be different for everybody.
10: Reach out. Avoid hermitude.
If your levels of burn-out are anything like mine, your social life has gone completely out of commission.
We've lived in this new house for a year and a half, and I must confess that I don't even know my neighbor's names. I am definitely going to have to remedy this, if I am going to be spending most of my time at home in the nearish future. Otherwise I can see myself standing out on the lawn in a straw hat and overalls, waving my trowel and yelling at all the "whippersnappers" that pass too close to the house.
A puppy is a great help here for me... if she wasn't going stir-crazy for socialization, there'd be no way I could drag my behind out there to the dog park. She and I have begun regular doggy dates with other like-minded people there, and we visit her breeder for weekly training classes.
I am rekindling dear friendships that have begun to fade. I also could stand to meet some new people.
So... *poke*
Hi!
What nourishes your spirit?
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