🎈(#23) The Art of Recharging

Read Time: 5 Minutes

Message from the author:

One thing before we move forward…

From this week, I will be sending out these Newsletters on Tuesdays not Monday. I feel this will better sit in alignment with my lifestyle.

As I write this, I am currently in New Zealand, in a small apartment between mountains and valley close to Coromandel.

I have now finished my job with a company I had been with for almost 18 years and before starting my new role have taken a four-week hiatus with the family.

I write this Newsletter in a space of reflection. I feel I am unplugged from the regular day to day and before I jump back in - I want to see if things in my life need to be readjusted or redesigned and create a lifestyle that has a longer sustainable way of living.

Whilst I am only on day five - I am in a space to ponder on thought and review how I can create this for myself.

The idea I have been floating on for some time is around recharging and slowing down to speed up.

Does it always need to be weeks at a time or can you find space in your day to day consistently to achieve similar results?

I want to explore that here with you today.

Sharing is caring.

In a world of busy lifestyles, back-to-back meetings, running the kids to school & just doing life these days is busy af sometimes right?

I know there is a lot of you out here doing the same.

I am a massive advocate for actions plans and organizing calendars….

I get all of that.

But sometimes it can become tiresome, particularly over long periods of time.

The mental and physical toll on your body without strategically placing in time to recharge or slowdown will eat away at you.

In life there will definitely be moments you need intensity and have to sprint.

Some of you may even have the stamina and resilience to go for longer periods of time than others.

But at the end of the day, we are human…

And humans need time to reset.

We are not machines.

We just need to know what that looks like for us.

No right or wrong, just trial and error, until you find the what’s right for you.

Unplug to recharge

I like this sub-heading because it is a bit of an oxymoron.

Unplug to recharge. In our current world you need to plug something in to recharge its batteries…

Phones, tablets, watches, cars etc. etc. etc.

As humans - I believe we are the opposite. Being so plugged into life, can drain our energy levels if not monitored or planned well.

The quote above makes so much sense to me these days. But instead of thinking about just resilience, I look at this for life.

Life isn’t just about enduring and pushing through, life is about how we recharge to ensure we have real sustainability.

Easier said than done I know. But if you can master this, your progress and success will move faster than ever before without feeling like you are moving fast at all.

How you recover, will determine how you operate for long periods of time, particularly under stress or pressure.

I still believe you need to work hard in life, but it’s the moments in between where you stop & recover that is the magic.

The stop, recovery, recharge or slowing down will be your secret weapon.

It is similar to training; all growth happens from rest & recovery. You can do more harm than good and in fact you may not see any progress.

Whatever you do, now is the time to figure that one out.

But why though?

Do or don’t that is up to you my friend.

Some of you may be fine not stopping or slowing down. If that is you - please share your secrets with me.

If not and you want to continue to explore - here is a few reasons why slowing down can help you:

• Stress Reduction.

• Enhanced Productivity.

• Creativity Boost.

• Improved Decision Making.

• Physical & Mental Health Benefits.

Seems counterproductive that slowing down will improve these areas of your life.

Try it, what have you got to lose?

But how though?

The “how” is the action.

The goal for me is to share not only actual breaks, but also things that work for me on a daily basis in order to perform at a high level.

Here are seven things that you can do:

1. Actually take leave. Obvious one, but I know a lot of people who take leave, but never really “take leave”. Either they stay plugged into work or they pack out their holiday so much that they are more exhausted than they were before.

2. A Wellbeing Day. I have not tried this a lot. But when I have, I felt amazing returning to the normal day to day. I have used that day to unplug from everything and just do what I feel in the moment. Mostly relaxing on the couch, being creative or going for a walk. Something really simple that works for me.

3. Mindfulness & Breathwork. I won’t go into details on this but I have spoken about meditation here or look up Owaken Breathwork - they have some really cool stuff and some free breathwork activities to try.

4. Disconnect From Technology. Being connected through social media and technology doesn’t allow your mind to unwind. After a long day, try to turn off notifications or devices in general and block out time

5. Physical Activity. Some form of movement and activity that you enjoy not only helps you physically, but mentally as well. It also helps you to relax and feel good about relaxing.

6. Prioritize Sleep. Not my strongest point I must admit. But this is science-based facts. Quality sleep creates a well-rested mind & body that will be equipped to handle daily challenges and become more resilient to stress. I will write about sleep in the coming newsletters and my thoughts on this one.

7. Cultivate Hobbies. Dedicating time to activities that you are passionate about can provide a sense of fulfillment and act as a positive outlet for stress relief. For me, this is in the form of creating, writing and music.

My final though on this.

It is hard to slow down, because we fear that we will lose momentum.

I know I do.

A question to ask and something I have asked myself.

What if that momentum and path I am heading in full speed, is leading somewhere I don’t want to be?

A quote I have read lately sums this up…

It takes time to learn to do this and I am in the process of becoming better at The Art of Recharging.

The time off has actually forced me to stop and I had made a commitment to myself to not think about career or plans for 2024 until I get closer to time.

Right now - I am unplugged, slowed down and I love it.

I am not concerned with losing momentum right now because I know I can move fast when I need to and I want to ensure that when it is time to move at speed again, I am recharged, focused I have the energy, clarity and right mindset to do that.

Hope at least one of you can resonate with this message this week.

Enjoy your week fam.

JC