This is a little earlier this year...

If you have been reading my Weekly Words for the last two years, this week’s words will not be new to you.

I first posted this list in 2021, then again in 2022, and now it is time to post it again.

I had considered doing so in the first week of December, but I have already heard how many friends, family and clients are ‘holding on’ until Christmas or until the end of the year.

I have heard numerous times in the last few weeks, “I’m in burnout’ or “I’m at the edge of burnout”.

So, I want to share this list a little earlier this year because if you are holding on, put scaffolding in place to support you.

I hope you find at least one of these suggestions helpful. There is nothing new here, but we all need reminding sometimes.  

1.    Unless your job requires you to have up-to-date information about what is going on in the world, TURN OFF THE NEWS. Or limit your sources. We cannot underestimate the impact constant negative news has on our mental health.  

2.    You do not need to answer the phone the moment it rings. You can respond when you are ready instead of reacting in the moment (unless you are a paramedic, in which case ignore this one).  

3.    Get into nature more and more and more. 

4.    Garden lots. 

5.    Turn off notifications on your phone. 

6.    Stop responding to emails after a particular time of day and stay ‘stopped.’ 

7.    Set up an out-of-office letting people know you will respond within 24/48/72 hours. (We are happy to wait if we know how long we are waiting for.) 

8.    Go to bed earlier. 

9.    Wake up later. 

10.   Drink more water. 

11.   Buy yourself some luxury bath/shower products and use them. 

12.   Cancel things. 

13.   Postpone things. 

14.   Seek and create delight. 

15.   Say no to the unnecessary meeting. 

16.   Say no to the social event you do not want to attend.  

17.   Say No. 

18.   Don’t do any Christmas shopping - for the last five years, just before Christmas, I take a whole weekend off and make love-filled jams or chutney, and everyone gets the same gift. 

19.   Watch old-school comedy. 

20.   Make something beautiful. 

21.   Engage in a random act of kindness 

22.   Dance. 

23.   If you can get away, even for a morning or afternoon, get away. 

24.   Did I mention turn off the news?  

25.   Hug some trees. 

26.   Lessen your social media interactions or stop for a period; it will still be there when you return. 

27.   Write a thank you card to someone who has supported you this year. 

28.   Nap. Nap. Nap. 

29.   Let go of anything you think you ‘should’ do. 

30.   Treat yourself to a seasonal bunch of flowers.  

31.   Stop listening to podcasts that will ‘improve’ you or your business for the rest of the year. 

32.   Go for a walk. 

33.   Keep things simple – cereal is an excellent dinner at any age!  

34.   Stop reading personal development books that will ‘improve you’ for the rest of the year. Nap instead. 

35.   Read the books you loved as a child. 

36.   Lower your expectations of yourself and others. 

37.   Delete. Delegate. Defer. 

As always, I would love to hear your insights, thoughts or musings.

Wishing you a weekend of building your scaffolding, one piece at a time.