Work.
Every one take a deep (deeper) breath. i know i am not the only one who gets tense just thinking about work some days. As i am writing this, i know most people are going through the tomorrow-is-Monday-already blues, including myself.
Time flies. Weekends are never long enough. And, some weeks, those 40 hours seem more like 65, especially if you have a stressful job (hey, stay-at-home moms, this post is for you too!).
The reality nowadays is budgets are tight, workers are few, and there are many deadlines to meet. Work can be stressful and if you don't manage the stress well, it can make you sick and tired, and spill over into your home life. Really, i don't think anyone intentionally can't stop thinking about work after work (except your corporate America work-a-holic who thrives on being plugged in 24/7). It's just that it can be hard to stop running through the to-do list, worrying about deadlines, or number crunching to make a budget work. It may be hard, but it is absolutely necessary and healthy to leave work at work.
And that also means learning to enjoy Sunday without dreading Monday :) i know, i know, easier said than done.
This week's Wholly Healing exercise is learning to decompress after (and, if-needed, before) work. Because the last thing you really want is your stressed-out attitude to permeate your home environment, which is supposed to be your peaceful space. If you walk in the door frustrated about your day the only thing that is really going to do is ruin your night and spread the negativity to your spouse and family. And, no one wants a grumpy spouse/family.
So here is the deal. Every one needs time to decompress after work. Stay-at-home moms also need time to get away for some alone time. Taking time to decompress causes less arguments, creates a healthy home life, sets the stage for a relaxing evening, and allows you to sleep better.
The goal for this week is to take at least (if not more) fifteen minutes to change clothes, practice deep breathing, stretch out, and pray/meditate after work. Doing these things will bring your body into a calm state after being revved up at work. It also prevents you from starting in on the negative talk to your spouse about people at work or how much you dislike your job or your boss. Take some time to unwind. It's healthy and necessary. Setting healthy boundaries isn't just for people relationships, it's also for the person/work relationship.
It's also important for the spouse who get home first to let their other half decompress without asking about dinner or to-do lists or anything else that might add stress to their day before they can offload the work day. This is a good time to practice patients and a little extra TLC.
Thank You for my job, Lord. Help me to set up a healthy boundary and to decompress after work so that I can keep my home healthy, happy, and peaceful. Amen.
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