By Ann DeLuca
You’re not a battery… you need to unplug to recharge.
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”. Ferris Bueller.
Maybe Ferris Bueller was on to something here?
It’s summer time and the lazy days of summer are the perfect time to: take a pause, recharge and reset.
Pausing to check in with yourself, a gift that many of you don’t give yourself. When you’re on the constant treadmill of life, it can be easy to forget about taking time for yourself.
What does a pause look like?
From taking an actual vacation to finding moments in your day; a pause is a chance to step back, catch your breath and reset.
Why does making time to pause matter? There are so many benefits. Getting a chance to step away from something gives you a chance to gain new perspective on it. Something as simple as getting up and going for a walk can be enough to refresh you, and provide you with insights into a problem that you would never get if you stayed focused on it. Apparently there’s research that shows that active rest, like pursuing a hobby, sport or anything else where you are moving instead of sitting, boosts creativity and your productivity!
What else does taking a pause do for you?
It can recharge your batteries. When you charge an actual battery, you plug it in. But you’re not a battery! In order to recharge your human batteries it’s taking time to: rest, take breaks from screens or other environmental ‘noise’ that ultimately recharges your human batteries. They say everything works better if you unplug it. Yourself included. When you do this, a funny thing can happen. You may feel refreshed and reenergized. You actually can gain momentum by slowing down and taking a break. New ideas come in those moments when you’re doing something else.
Here are some suggestions to consider to refresh your energy.
Reconnect with:
A hobby you never find time to do.
Nature. Get out and sit by a tree or go for a walk.
Your partner, dog, cat or an old friend.
Yourself. You may just find that by slowing down, you discover something new about you.
It's summer time, truly the perfect opportunity to pause, step back and reflect. The longer, warmer lazier days are here. Take advantage of them. Every now and then, stop and take a look around, take in the scenery. Check in with all of your senses. Really. Track through your body, maybe notice your breath or balance. Listen to the sounds around you, near and far. Notice the picture unfolding around you and take in the details. All of it. Savour it. Put it into your mental bank account and then withdraw it anytime you need a quick break. Just like Ferris Bueller said…