While you are reading this newsletter, I am at the Deepak Chopra Center for a week-long meditation and yoga retreat that I gave my husband for his 50th birthday. (Oh, how convenient. It's a present for me, too!) If you take your vacation time (and if you don't, we need to talk), you know that the week prior to said vacation can be particularly intense while you make sure everyone has what they need in your absence and to set yourself up for an easy re-entry.
Other times can be intense, too, like when you launch a new product or implement a system change or any number of special corporate fire drills. Weeks like this can be frustrating and hard to get through, but they don't have to be.
Here are three tips to dealing with a particularly intense week:
- Be conscious and acknowledge that you are entering an intense week.That way, your body and mind know what you're dealing with, and you don't grunt through the week resisting and being annoyed at how busy you are. Being conscious enables you to focus, do what you have to do, and move efficiently to the next thing with clean and clear energy.
- Find small moments to refresh. In an intense week, your spinning class might go out the window or you don't have time to cook. And, you can absolutely find 5 minutes to be quiet at your desk, step outside for a bit of sunshine, relish your morning shower, or grab quick cup of coffee with a colleague. Eat lunch! Take care of the physical and mental machine so it can work for you.
- Keep the end in sight. Imagine the beach, picture the martini in your hand, anticipate the celebration at the end of the big project, or hold onto the plan for a lovely dinner with friends over the weekend. When you can see the end and it's soooo pretty (even if it's a tiny bit pretty), you are more motivated to do that next thing. And the next one. And the next one.
Of course, if all your weeks are intense and stressful, that's a different conversation. (Say hello to saying no, self care, and prioritizing). That much intensity is not sustainable over the long-term.
Here's to thriving during an intense week!
OM!
Christina