For most of my life, I had every hour of the day accounted for. My Google calendars were always filled each day with where I need to be, what meetings I had, clients/patients I’m supposed to see and when I’m working out. Recently, I’ve even been scheduling days when I see my friends… not cute.
The downside of not having a standard 9-5 job is that what you do during the day is totally up to you. If you’re good at time management and don’t have too much on the go, it’s easy. But when you have a few different things on the go, 24 hours in one day never seems like enough. I am great with time management (hence the multiple calendars), but I suck at embracing the chill.
I do my absolute best at giving myself a time frame each day to work, but honestly with this new virtual world, it’s almost like people forget what a break is. I fell victim to #TeamNoSleep and #WorkWhenOthersSleep mentality. When there was a free couple of hours in my schedule I’d quickly find a way to fill it. I didn’t value down time and a full rest. I was always sporting bags under my eyes and they were certainly not Gucci.
But a few days ago when I caught myself scheduling in patio drinks with some friends, I got scared. I could tell I was following a route that would eventually lead to burn out again. Something I’ve experienced in my undergrad and again last year. Not fun, 10/10 do not recommend. So right then, I told myself I need to change. I need to learn to #EmbraceTheChill.
My friend, Chernise Clayton (co-owner of ProEdge, check it out), is always saying I need to chill out and just vibe. We both work long days and work super hard. She’s the poster child of work hard, appreciate it, but also find the time for yourself. It’s a characteristic a lot of entrepreneurs lack, but she does it flawlessly.
So, for me, #EmbracingTheChill means that I do not need to fill that empty hour in my day. I don’t have to feel guilty for watching a movie and eating popcorn while enjoying a glass of Red on a Monday night. It means that I need to set boundaries and respect them, and that even though I may be doing nothing that I can still say I am busy without explaining what I am doing.
If you’re like me and have been struggling with embracing the chill, I challenge you to choose a day and do not look at anything related to work. For me that means not answering DM’s on Instagram and letting my unread emails rise.
In the end, embracing the chill just allows you to take in the world around you, because it’s truly amazing and no screen can do it justice.