Rest.

On Friday I told our EIC in our newsroom…breathe…get some rest.

Little did I realize by telling her that I was telling myself too.

We had a crazy week. Digital print edition plus the usual meetings and even additional meetings.

We were both done for the week. Before we ended our conversation I said you are human first…journalist second.

We forget in all the chaos that we are human.

We are allowed to feel things and often sometimes it breaks us.

We need a solid ugly cry or just someone to hear us out.

We need some alone time to care for the things that we know help restore us.

There is this idea that even though we are in quarantine we should have all this time to relax.

FALSE.

Yes, we have some time because our activities are on pause, but some of our activities like working from home now and multitasking has taken on a whole new level of busy.

Zoom call after zoom call. Exhaustion.

Writing task list after task list and forgetting we had another task list that we didn’t complete.

And let’s face it, our home lives are not the easiest to work from home depending on those you may or may not live with.

Trust me I love spending time with family and getting some extra one on one, but at times family work life balance becomes the elephant in the room.

My brain is foggy. Did I post that update to my class? Did I send that email to my boss? Did my child complete her school work?

Did I take a shower?

Not going to lie. It’s been a chore for self-care in all these days we have been home.

So today, I did something I haven’t done this entire time. I stayed in my pajamas ALL DAY. I am ashamed one bit.

See part of my mental health is about routine…making my bed every morning. Getting dressed and up for my day. There is something about it that helps my brain get in the positive.

Today has been a low anxiety day but I was really just wanting to be comfortable. So I stayed in my pajamas.

I spent most of the day off my phone and just being with my daughter.

We did church online, had communion, kids life church, cleaned parts of the room and house, made lunch, and binged watched Buddy Vs Duff.

It has been one of the best days in quarantine.

I didn’t and don’t feel lazy by not changing.

I feel rested. I took care of me for once and just relaxed.

In these days of quarantine, you seriously need to take the time to REST.

We are HUMAN FIRST. We can’t keep operating on half empty to empty.

Spend time taking care and doing the things you love.

It might be watering your plants.

It might be just relaxing with your children and enjoying what they enjoy.

It takes putting your foot down and saying I need this day to REST.

And BE.