Even though my school years are long behind me, I still expect that once the calendar flips to June, summer vacation is supposed to magically appear. Remember those delicious days of summer vacation as a kid? Sprinklers on the lawn? Dreamsicles from the ice cream truck? Long days at the city pool, counting out change at the concession stand to buy nachos and a slurpee while the grownups commandeered the pool during Adult Swim?
Somehow I can’t let go of those endless summer days. I thought they would last forever. I had no way of knowing how precious they were, and how much I would miss them when they were gone.
I figure this is as good a time as any to remind myself, and you, my dear readers, that it’s these times when you don’t have time to take a break that it’s most important to take a break!
Sure, you want to pack your bags and hop on the nearest plane and leave everything behind. At the very least, you want to play hooky from work and crank some tunes and get down to the hard work of doing nothing. But that’s going to have to wait until later, when things calm down. Childhood is over and for now, you’re going to have to divide your summer break into chunks. Ten-minute chunks. You have ten minutes, don’t you?
1. Soak your feet.
I have a bag of scented epsom salts in my linen closet. Use a clean tub big enough to fit both your feet and make the water as hot as you can stand it. The steam, combined with the luxurious warmth, plus the aroma of the scent (my favorite is peppermint, but lavender is lovely, too) can take your mind away from it all for a few moments. Don’t forget to have a fluffy towel and some lotion nearby!
2. Pour yourself some lemonade.
Grab a fancy glass and fill it with ice, to give that satisfying clink as you tip back your head for the first sip. Treat yourself to a real lemon wedge, or a strawberry perched on the rim of the glass. Have a box of those fancy paper umbrellas on hand. You deserve it.
3. Do ONE THING, start to finish.
This is something I struggle with —— multitasking! I usually have something in the oven, a load in the washer, the vacuum out, and I’m trying to do everything at the same time. If I’m on my laptop, I routinely have 20 tabs open. Shake it up: pick ONE THING, then do it. Start it, then finish it, all in one sitting. I’m always surprised at how accomplished I feel when I do this, instead of my normal routine of starting 50 projects and finishing none of them.
4. Make a list. Use a good pen.
Do you love lists? I do! I make at least one every day. (I probably love them too much.) I’ve found making shorter lists gets better results. Think about (maybe while you sip your tea?) three things that are a priority today. Write them down. Oh, and always use a good pen. I love gel pens, or Sharpie pens. I love my fountain pen the most, but not for lists. The fountain pen is for writing letters.
5. Write a letter
Or a note, or just a postcard. It feels good to let someone else know you’re thinking of them. It doesn’t even have to be their birthday.
6. Go for a walk
My dog makes sure I stick to this routine, but of course, you can take a walk alone, too. Skip the earbuds and listen to the sounds in your neighborhood. Take deep breaths, too. When I’m at work, I try at least once a day to walk through the building to hand deliver something or ask someone a question in person instead of sending an email. I skip the elevator and take the stairs instead. It gets the blood flowing, and gets me in touch with my surroundings!
7. Set a timer and take a cat nap
I admit, sometimes my catnaps turn into mega-naps. Because, well, naps. I live for them! But even just putting your feet up, laying back and closing your eyes for 10 minutes can recharge you. Don’t use the time to worry or plan or check email. Just be. And if you find that hard to do, play some soothing music to keep your mind focused.
How do you treat yourself to a mini-vacation? How can you take one today?
