need to take a break

[brainwane]

A few days ago I read a Huffington Post article about pandemic burnout and a therapist suggested that people should try to identify the biggest things stressing them out and set some limits around them. So I asked my friend the other day if he and I could have a call and sort of help me talk through that exercise, and so we did that last night.

Cirbus advises her patients to first identify the things stressing them out the most — maybe it’s the news, a job, or toxic convos with a friend — and make a plan to address them and set some healthy boundaries. From there, she recommends focusing on one or two things a day that you can accomplish.

I'm working on a book proposal and it is kind of a drag. Right now I'm in the phase of rewriting and reformatting stuff so it fits in various publishers' templates, which is tedious.

My friend and I talked about when I had last taken something of a vacation (a staycation of course). I haven't really intentionally taken multiple days OFF from work (even if it's unpaid work on the book) since like September, I think. I feel like I tried to take some time off in late December -- I made a vid, after all, so I must not have been trying to do client or book work -- but also that was during the Biden-has-not-yet-been-inaugurated-oh-God-what's-going-to-happen-next political mood which was not particularly conducive to relaxation.

So once I finish and send off this book proposal I'm going to take a week off and, like, make fanvids and read some "I've been meaning to read those for years, I'm sure I'd enjoy them" books, like Max Gladstone's Craft series and/or Becky Chambers's books. Maybe binge-watch a TV show.

Comments

[princessofgeeks]

I realized a while back that I had been working seven days a week since March. Not 8 hours a day or anything close to that, but still. So I started in January to not work on weekends at all, and that has really changed my attitude for the better.

Good luck to you!

[oracne]

Vacation time is SO GREAT.

[jesse_the_k]

Yes!

Enjoy!

[cuddyclothes]

I agree, you need to do this!

[brithistorian]

Enjoy your time off - it's super important!