His eyes remain shut as he presses the snooze button for the third time. Finally he peeks at the time and the panic of needing to be out the door in 25 minutes jolts him up.
No time for a shower. He stumbles to his closet. He stares blankly for an eternity before grabbing something, anything. A glance in the mirror reveals his pants are too wrinkled for wear. Growing crankier by the minute, he remembers that he needs to scrape the ice off of his windshield. “I’m gonna be late,” he mutters.
No time for breakfast. He heads for the door. Where are his keys? Gone missing. Again.
Have you ever had a morning like this? Too many?
The days of divorce can impair our sleep, impact our self care, and overwhelm us by even the simple tasks of our daily lives. With so much to do and so little energy, each neglected act dominoes onto the next until we start to feel as though our entire life is in one big stress and one big mess.
Enter the power down hour.
We think of the term “power down” as unplugging our electronics. The power down hour unplugs us from our day while recharging us to start the next day with restored power. Here’s how.
End your day an hour before your ideal bedtime. Divide the last hour into four 15 minutes segments. Use them like this:
- Bring order to unfinished business. Take a walk around your home putting items away and tidying up. If you have important tasks you did not complete, put them on a “To do” list for another time. Acknowledge yourself for having done the best you could this day, and remind yourself that the world did not come to an end merely because you did not conquer it in a day.
- Prepare for the morning. Use this time to do the small things which will make your morning go more smoothly. Choose your outfit. Boil a couple of eggs for breakfast. Gather items you will need to head out the door. Resist the urge to begin new projects. Simply do what you know will make the start of your day easier.
- Befriend your body. Perform your bedtime hygiene routine. Enjoy a few gentle stretches or deep breathing for relaxation. You might even thank your body for serving you so well all day.
- Quiet your mind. End your day in relaxation. Learn what works for you, whether it is listening to peaceful music, reading a relaxing book, or journaling.
Don’t have an hour? Not a problem. If you find yourself with only 20 minutes at the end of your day, just spend 5 minutes on each step.
Here’s wishing you more rest and less stress.
Coach Koenig
What is your favorite tip for ending starting or ending your day with greater ease?
