Gimme a break!

This picture has absolutely nothing to do

with today's post, I just like it! LOL!

photo credit: Country Living magazine

[Actually, since I'm talking about R-E-L-A-X-I-N-G today, maybe it does go with today's rambling, 'cause this picture sure does make me feel relaxed . . . and perked up, too! There's just something soothing, and yet refreshing, about the gorgeous pops of color so casually, but perfectly, arranged in that pristine white pitcher with those farmhouse country primitives as their backdrop.]

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I used to have a magnet on my fridge that proclaimed, "Every woman is a working woman!" I think that sums up life for most of us, don't you? Whether we're married, single, career-minded, full-time homemakers or volunteers, childless, or child-full, we all work. We all juggle. We soothe and smooth. We counsel and correct, adjust and admonish. We encourage and inspire. We budget and balance. We shift and chauffer. And somewhere in there, some of us even figure out to get a meal on the table and occasionally clear a path through our respective casas. And, heck, even if someone else does the cooking and cleaning, the what, how, when, and where of it all -- the managing of it -- for the most part, still lands on our to-do list. (I, personally, do not know of one woman who doesn't have a continual running agenda in her head.)

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Because there's always something (or someone) calling our names, begging to be added to that to-do list or our calendars, we're all going to have those days when it seems as if twenty-four hours are not nearly enough to get it all done. (And more than likely, it never is!) But when running from sun-up to sundown, day in and day out, with few stops in between becomes the norm, rather than the exception, we're making a big mistake, sistas.

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We're just not designed to function that way, at least not for the long haul. We need breaks! In fact, say those words any way you want to, and they're still true:

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We need breaks!

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We need breaks!

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We need breaks!

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And even . . . We need BRAKES!

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Even FlyLady, Marla Cilley, Guru-ess of all things clean and organized (FlyLady.net), tells her followers to take breaks frequently throughout the day to avoid burnout. (" . . . stop for a few minutes every hour and take a break." She actually encourages women to write it into their schedules!) Now, I know we can't all work forty-five minutes and then break for fifteen, and then work another forty-five and . . . etc., etc., (especially if we punch in on somebody else's clock), but most of us can carve out a fifteen- to thirty-minute chunk of time at least once during the day -- a chunk that's just for US (and if we can't, we need to figure out why).

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Personally, I would like to work for fifteen minutes and take a forty-five minute break, but since that's not likely to be my schedule any time soon, I'll opt for a "quickie" break here and there. (Hey, sometimes "quickies" can be a good thing!) It doesn't have to be elaborate, just something relaxing and rejuvenating -- something that allows me to catch my breath and then get back in the race.

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Sound like something you need? Wondering where to start? Well, here are some ideas:

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1) Pick a favorite HGTV show (or other) to watch while drinking a cup of coffee or glass of tea -- and do nothing else but sit there during this time. (In other words, don't fold clothes while you're watching it -- just enjoy the half-hour break, and DON'T FEEL GUILTY! Remember: It's part of your schedule!)

2) Spend thirty minutes to an hour sitting in your most comfortable spot with a good book or a magazine. (Or at your computer, enjoying some of the glorious blogs that are out there in Blogland!)

3) Take a twenty- to forty-five-minute power nap. (Most naps under twenty minutes won't refresh you as much, and anything over forty-five minutes will make you feel like you have a hangover, so set your alarm. I have a couch in my classroom, and on those days when I'm really dragging, I've been known to turn off the lights during my conference period and stretch out on that baby! And my sixth and seventh periods are much safer because of it!)

4) Find a favorite passage of scripture, read it, and then journal a little about your thoughts -- what you think it's saying to you today, how it makes you feel, what you think it might be leading you to do, etc. (This can be done at the kitchen table or in your favorite sitting spot with a favorite beverage and/or snack.)

5) Put on some praise and worship music (or some other kind of favorite) and just sit in your comfy spot with your eyes closed and listen to the lyrics. (If it's Christian music, try praying the lyrics as you listen to them. I'm really into Jimmy Needham right now -- love his words! Sara Groves is another favorite.)

6) Again, sit in your favorite comfy spot, and think of yourself snuggling with Papa-God. Close your eyes and just talk to Him. Tell Him how much you love Him; tell Him all the things you're thankful for, all the things that concern you . . . and then just sit there and enjoy His presence. (And remember, He's there whether you feel Him or not. Besides, we are not women who operate in our feelings. We operate by faith in the fact of what Papa-God has already told us in His Word -- that He is with us and will never leave us or forsake us -- in fact, His Spirit dwells IN us [John 14:16-17]! Woo-hoo!) mm

7) Plan lunch for yourself as you would a dear friend -- set your table with your favorite dishes, and enjoy your meal!

8) If you work outside your home, you might not have as much of a chance for during-the-day breaks, but perhaps you can plan one for later in the day. Maybe you can manage fifteen to thirty minutes of down-time when you get home -- just to do nothing but sit and relax before you have to start dinner or run evening errands. (If you have young children and know that you’ll be “tagged” the minute you get in the door, maybe staying at work an extra fifteen minutes to just sit and unwind – if you have a space to yourself – before you head home will work better for you.)

Remember, if we completely deplete ourselves during the day, then we will have nothing left to give to our families when we are finally all home together. So don't feel guilty about taking a few moments for yourself when you can -- you're doing it for them as much as for yourself!

Let me know how YOU like to relax when you know you've only got time for a "quickie". Meanwhile, have a fabulous rest of the week, complete with BREAKS!

Grins and blessings!
Pamm

PS I know some of you are wondering how things are going at Casa St. Michael with Desmond. They are going GREAT! I am really feeling the power of your prayers! Thank you! Thank you! I'll write more details later, but for now . . . take a load off! (I'm going to!) XO!