UNPLUG: Why You Need to "Power Down" to Find Your Power

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott 

This month in the SimpyFit Club, we’re focusing a lot on reducing stress because it’s so important to your health.

Sometimes stepping out of the race (temporarily) is exactly what you need to do to find your power to finish strong!

 Our society rewards pushing hard and never giving up. And both of those things are super important – nothing gets done unless someone actually DOES the work.

 But there is also another saying:

“To every thing there is a season …”

Basically, if you push hard, you also need to make time to rest just as “hard” so you can power back up again.

Give yourself a break every once in a while…

Especially when you feel like you’re running so fast but can barely keep up.

Taking time to rest has absolutely NOTHING to do with being lazy or unproductive. In fact, it’s a KEY part of being a productive and healthy person.

Often when you unplug, you come back more inspired, with fresh ideas to make improvements, and with more energy to take on your day.

What are some ways to power down? It doesn’t mean vegging on the couch and bingeing an entire season of a show on Hulu (although it might).

 For some people, it might mean doing something fun, like playing softball or tennis (my fav!) going skiing or swimming, or hitting a flea market to poke around for unique finds.

Here are some everyday ways to unplug:

• Take a relaxing bath
• Get a massage or other bodywork
• Read a book (preferably not one about 10x-ing your productivity)
• Going for a walk or getting outside for some fresh air
• Playing with your children or pets
• Doing something creative: play music, woodwork, cook, anything crafty, etc.
• Going to a movie
• Gardening or working on your yard
• Rent an Airbnb for the weekend and get away for a bit (even somewhere local!)
• Take a nap

I know, you may be thinking, Nicole, I just don't have the time! Well, that just means you need this list even MORE! But, if you really are in a time crunch, take 5 minutes to pray/mediate, do deep breathing (in the car maybe?) or even just a 5 minute walk. Either way, make yourself and self-care a priority!

This isn’t rocket science – it’s more about giving yourself the permission to just BE. Doesn’t that sound amazing?

So do something intentional this week to disconnect and recharge!

If you need some additional help in this department, join the SimplyFit Club  to get a free copy of my new eBook UNPLUG, with lots of stress reduction tips like this and more!