New Habits, Out of Necessity

"sometimes you gotta disengage, wipe the bloodstains off of your cage . . . "

Feeling a little overwhelmed at work these days--not just me, since we're all eye-balls deep in workload for deadlines from now until the middle of November (just to start)--things should loosen up a little then, but in the meantime it's getting nasty. Long hours, little fires all the time, endless rounds of details to check, recheck, redo, check again--this is our usual fall activity crunched down from about 4 months to 1 because of various client/gov/QA deadlines.

Last week my motivation for work capped at "I don't wanna"--about the same as hiding under the blankets as a kid so the monsters couldn't get me--ignore it and it will go away. This week I'm Das Freakin' Feuhrer blitzing through the paperwork and electronic files because I want it all out of my freakin' hair forever RIGHT NOW.

Anywho--I find myself spending more thought and energy on work than I usually do when I'm out of the office, whether at home or whatever. It's like I never leave, there is NO downtime.

I've decided to start up a few new habits during the week/weekends to help restore some kind of personal balance against the stress and fury of work. Here's the plan:

1. I will, for at least one morning of the weekend, walk down to the Daily Grind and get a hot choc and a muffin for brunch. Maybe I'll walk around and take pictures or scout out xmas gifts.

2. I will invite at least one friend/acquaintance to go with me on some weekend outing.

3. I will call at least one friend/acquaintance I don't normally run into locally during the week/weekend.

4. Monday's are now officially 'laundry night' so I stop obsessing about doing it during the weekend and not getting it done. I will take knitting or a book with me and enjoy the machine hum and the occasional curious child.

5. I will take a walk around the neighbourhood at least 2 times a week, despite the cold, AND I will say hello or smile at at least one stranger I meet during my journey. Camera optional.