Kate Bartolotta is a lot of things, but lazy is certainly not one of them. As a masterful writer, professional coach and all around ‘wonder maker’, we came in contact with her words on a page several years ago and fell in love with her unconventional yet grounded outlook on life. After getting to know her a little better, we found that her ability to help people to use story telling to transform their own lives was just the tip of her ability iceberg.
We have been working really hard lately developing our Introductory eCourse, making new business friends and establishing all the important details that come with building a small business. Since balance is a very important value we hold we wanted to make sure we were taking enough down time even during this fierce stage of development. Just because you love your work doesn’t mean that you can’t get caught up in overdoing it. To make sure we were practicing what we preach, we asked Kate for some advice.
Whatever type of work you do, we all have those days.
You know, those days. The days where we’ve been running ourselves ragged, and it’s still not enough. The days where we end up with our head spinning, struggling to remember that one thing that might have fallen off of our overfull plates.
For those days, I often introduce my clients to a practice called “elemental self care”.
The four elements become a wonderful shorthand to check in with ourselves and take some time for a brief—but powerful—self care practice. Start with:
- Air.
If possible, find a quiet place to begin. Sit comfortably, and take a few deep breaths, letting each one out slowly, allowing your body to begin to relax.
- Water.
Hydrate! That mid-afternoon headache and hunger duo that hits many of us can often be attributed to dehydration. After the few minutes of regulated breathing, getting re-hydrated is an important next step.
Once you have added air and water, take another minute to ask yourself the following:
“Am I feeling scattered or am I feeling stuck?”
The answer will help you choose your next step of either “fire” or “earth”.
- Fire.
If you are feeling stuck and in need of firing up, get moving. Walk around your office, walk around the block. If you work from home and have more flexibility, consider having a short yoga practice or other exercise that you enjoy. When you have finished, you may find it easier to get moving on whatever task is at hand.
- Earth.
If you are feeling scattered and in need of grounding, take five minutes for a short Savasana practice. Set a timer for yourself so you can fully let go, instead of continuously checking to see if it’s time to stop. Find a space where you can lie down* and let your arms relax at your sides. Exhale fully, and let your muscles sink into the floor. Let go of your day. When thoughts pop up, notice them, and let them go, returning to a focus on your natural in and out breath. When the time is up, don’t immediately pop up to return to your day. Roll over to one side and take a minute to re-orient yourself and re-integrate into your work from a more grounded state.
*Many of us don’t have the luxury of plopping down on the floor for an impromptu yoga session in the middle of the workday! If grounding yourself this way would not be a fit for your situation, a more low-key way to ground yourself is to simply slip your shoes off while seated, and take a few minutes of deep breathing and feeling the connection of your feet to the floor. When we spend too much time stuck in our heads, even this simple practice can help us feel more grounded and ready to take on the rest of the day.
For more information about Kate’s work, her workshops or to learn about practices to keep your work and life flowing smoothly, stop by her website for information about a complimentary intro coaching session.