Slow Down
My biggest fault: I am passionately achievement driven. So much so that I often forget to stop and smell the roses. I’ve always got my next project in the works and I’m always busy with something most weekends. If there’s one thing that I’m starting to see out of the shelter-in-place restrictions, it’s a change in how I’m starting to see my free time. I don’t have a lot of patience which I’m trying to work on, but this weekend my change of pace was really satisfying and I’m here for it.
Given that we’re in such a weird place right now, I’m taking a step back from my career focus in my blog until this pandemic passes. No one (not even me) is in the mood to share anything relating to that right now. That being said, I’m not here to share any advice this week. I’m here to tell you about how much I appreciated my weekend, how grateful I am for the “free” time I’ve been given, and what made me feel like it was time well spent.
Sleeping in
Oh my god. I cannot tell you the last time I slept past 9am on a weekend. The only reason I sleep in is if I’m hungover, and that does not happen a lot anymore (acid reflux makes it difficult to enjoy copious amounts of alcohol). But wow, did it feel good not to have anything to wake up early for. No commitments, nowhere to be, no running that had to get done before anything we had to do that day… I felt refreshed and ready to tackle the day, even if that meant sacrificing the early hours where I know I’m most productive. There’s something really sacred about sleeping in that I haven’t experienced in a long time, so I think I’m going to re-adopt this practice back into my schedule at least one day a week once the pandemic is over. This was just the realignment I needed.
Making brunch
Who doesn’t love brunch? Growing up, my mom used to make a big breakfast every Sunday. We used to have the works: waffles, pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and sometimes hash browns. While I have been a huge brunch junkie (sounds like a great restaurant name) eating at various locations in Chicago, I haven’t done a homemade brunch in a loonnnnngggg time. This weekend, AJ and I spent both Saturday and Sunday making some bomb ass omelets and the fluffiest chocolate chip pancakes. I forgot home much I love to make breakfast food, so yet again, after this pandemic is over – one weekend day will be devoted to a nice big homemade brunch. Maybe I can even get fancy with some fun pastries!
Watching reality shows
This is my guilty pleasure, but I’m extremely specific about which shows I watch. These shows include: 1) pretty much any dating show like The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Love is Blind, etc. 2) any “missed” shows from my teen years that I never got on the bandwagon for like re-runs of The Simple Life, The Hills, Laguna Beach, etc. 3) America’s Next Top Model – I’ve probably seen every season 4) Intervention – for some reason, the stories of addiction are incredibly fascinating and finally 5) any baking challenge show. I LOVE watching Cupcakes Wars and recreating recipes later. I’m a pretty good baker, so I like to take on the challenge. AJ and I found a new show on Netflix called “Nailed It!” and we had a good time sipping some frozen cocktails and laughing at the insanity. It’s basically average bakers that are challenged to create a baking masterpiece. Needless to say, the results are hilarious and we were highly entertained.
Taking online classes
Super basic move right here: I took a live online fitness class. So many people are doing it right now, and the options are endless at this point. What I would like to share is this: when I used to travel for work, I would always look up the closest pole studio to where I was staying and make sure I signed up for a class. It always gave me something fun to try while I was on the road. I thought I was so smart for utilizing my work trips as a dual purpose to try classes at the different pole studios across the nation. Now, with the adaptation of online classes, I realized I can take any studio’s class from my own home. What an incredible offer we have right at our fingertips. I could take a class in Miami, LA, NY, Chicago… wherever! I chose one of my favorite places to take class though and that’s Dollhouse Pole Studio in Minneapolis. Abbey Eff hosted a flexibility class that focused on back stretches and I felt really great after I was done. I want to adopt 1-2 classes each week at different studios while this convenience lasts. Getting to take a class from anywhere right now is an amazing opportunity and a great way to support local businesses (even if they’re not technically local to you).
This weekend has really brought a different perspective to light on how I would like to do some restructuring. Momentum doesn’t mean you need to always be in motion, but rather that you can successfully pick it back up. I really enjoyed slowing it down, having some fun, and trying new things. And I did it all from inside my house. How are you looking at your free time differently? Are you remembering some things you used to enjoy? Have you adopted some new practices into your life? What have you been doing to stay entertained?
Slowing down doesn’t mean stopping; it means catching your breath. Have you caught yours?
