A few weeks ago, as I settled on the plane on my return flight home from my last work trip of the year, I breathed a sigh of gratitude. I was grateful for exhilarating two days spent in Miami with my colleagues. I was grateful for my aisle seat and in-flight movies. I was grateful that my third trimester body persevered my non-stop travel (a trip every month since August), though I am certainly feeling the exhaustion and soreness from last night’s travel today. And it dawned on me the day after that I was grateful that the air travel was finished for the year. This mommy seems ready to hunker down and embrace a slower pace at home for all the fall/winter activities. With baby number two due before Christmas, it’s the perfect time.
Slow down.
Me, the person who begins her holiday prep in September and plans travel three months out? Me, the person whose brain is always working on the next action step of whatever goal I am working on, like buying all my Christmas gifts before the beginning of December or working on my task list for my maternity leave temp. So much of my life as of late has been at a frenetic pace that I have not allowed myself to relax, even on weekends. Master the new job. Volunteer at my daughter’s school. Fit in a playdate on the weekend. Schedule a friend date during the work week, which I still have not done (To my friends, yes, I miss you!). When I am on the go, I am energized. The moment I return home, I keep puttering around, even when collapsing on the sofa and watching cooking shows would do me some good.
My “Type A” personality has always associated the idea of “slowing down” with being lazy. If I am not running around, moving from one activity to the next, I feel like I am wasting the day away. I am fully aware that my frenetic pace is not sustainable, but there’s always one more thing I want to accomplish, one more task to “check off” from my day. Lately, I’ve woken up thirty minutes before my alarm just to put an activity on my calendar or send an email. The early mornings have been my best friend.
Perhaps the solution is not a complete slowdown, but simply to take more time doing the activities that energize me and not cram in so many chores and fun activities on any given day. Doing less does not equate to doing nothing. It means giving myself permission to relax and recharge.
