Relax, don't do it 🕺🏻
Issue: 10 - Small change adds up
PSA: For the Brits in here, we’re about to enter Easter weekend. Traditionally, this would be the first weekend of the year that the crowd goes absolutely flipping wild.
A last-minute flight is booked to Alicante followed by a daring whisper of “I wonder if Benidorm really is *that* bad?”… only me? Okay. Jokes. Obv.
But there will be no last minute flights. No high street pub crawls. No [chaotic] family meals with the in-laws.
But please, reader. I am begging you. Do not cancel this weekend.
I admit, when I realised it was a long weekend, I felt a little nervous. Even when chunks of my days look like this…
…at least it’s a structure I can hide behind.
So to ease the discomfort, I decided I’d use the extra four days to get really creative with Balpro.
I have a tonne of strategy work that I can dive into - perfect escapism. The bank holiday is stolen time. How exciting!!
We’re experiencing ambient anxiety right now. It’s always there, a gentle hum in the background. We’re on high alert. Ready for Carole Baskin, sorry, I mean those tigers, to come and attack our cave.
Working, whether efficiently or not, is an attractive distraction. It helps us hide from our feelings. Serves our desperate desire for control, familiarity, purpose and security.
Tick, tick, tick, tick, tock 🧨💥
Rest has never been so important
There’s a reason the phrase “it’s a marathon not a sprint” exists, we can push ourselves to a point of over-exertion. It is possible to sprint, it’s just not sustainable.
No matter how many motivational mantras you echo, how invigorating it feels at the time, or how much you want to hide from this new world, sprinting 26.2 miles will do you harm.
Your creativity and motivation will fade, you’ll do an average job and eventually, you’ll get injured.
Even if you don’t feel you need it: You must rest.
Want a stretch goal? Find some ways to actually have some fun.
Invest in rest 👀
*Soz about that heading, I couldn’t resist.
There are tonnes of benefits of taking a timeout. For those of you who wanna geek out on the science, check out this Inc article.
If you’re here for the #TLDR highlights, just one day of rest…
Reduces stress
Boosts your immune system
Improves sleep quality
Restores mental energy
Improves creativity
Makes you more productive
Enhances long term focus
Improves your short term memory
and helps you fall back in love with your job.
Cool, thanks, but…
I *have* to work this weekend: Soz/thanks for your commitment :-)
Look ahead and see where you can block out a future rest day, keep your head up, your time will come.
If there’s no end in sight and you’re feeling anxious, exhausted, on edge, hit reply. I’d love to explore this with you.
Pleeease. Work is the only thing keeping me sane right now: I really do get it. And if it feels too tough then don’t fight it or add guilt. But start small.
Block out half a day and have some purposeful rest. Watch Netflix, go for your walk, do that online exercise class, spend time with the kids without the pressure of the inbox, pick up that book, bake, sleep, have a wank. Whatever. But chill out. Mentally log off. Just for a little bit.
And if you still need convincing, go back and revisit that list. It’s worth it. It’s science.
On that note, until next week,
Amber
Every day I’m balancin’
Ps. If you do work 🙄 consider using a tool like Boomerang to delay your emails so that you’re not dropping into your colleague’s inbox. They might be desperate for this.
I’m crushing on…
Emily Maitlis for this hell of an opener on Newsnight last night. Emily, we salute you.
Don’t be jel, Pheebs. You’re still my No.1
Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag stage show is now available to stream 🥳🥳🥳
It’s already online with Soho Theatre and goes live on Prime tomorrow (Friday). All proceeds go charity, what a legend.
And as always, here’s the Balpro logo #Branding.
