Goooooooooooood morning, afternoon, or evening, wherever you might happen to be!
While I leapt into last week with lots of enthusiasm (goals! possibilities! a new year!), I quickly felt myself starting to crash. I attribute this in part to the fact that my holiday didn’t really feel, well, like a holiday. But I’ve taken it as a reminder that I need time off and breaks even during the working week. Some of those breaks may involve sipping tea and binge-watching something (whether it’s the wholesomely humorous ‘Abbot Elementary’ or the much darker—but thoroughly delicious—‘Bad Sisters’). And sometimes it involves doing something that I love while my working brain keeps humming along in the background.
Get creative
Are you someone who loves drawing? Do you sculpt? Or perhaps you play an instrument? Whatever it is, doing something creative is a great way to take an ‘active break’. I recently acquired a secondhand electric piano, and whenever I sit down to noodle around or tackle a new piece I can practically feel new parts of my brain lighting up and other parts of my brain arranging themselves into new patterns. (Psst: if you want to tackle an instrument but don’t have the space or time for a piano, I highly recommend the ukulele—it’s cheap, portable, and super easy to pick up quickly!)
Food for thought
As you might have guessed by now, food is a big part of my life. The right meal can lift my spirits and soothe my soul at the same time that it gives me the energy to keep working. A recently discovered forever-favourite: this lemon chicken and orzo recipe by Nigella Lawson. It’s simple and easy, and even though my mother never made it for me I feel like she’s taking care of me every time I eat it. Or, you know, you could be like me and try tackling a croquembouche (my latest effort succeeded!!).
A good laugh
Another thing that gives my brain a break is writing satire and other short humour. I’m trying to get back into it more regularly (I already got my first rejection of 2023, woohoo!!), since it gives me a place to put my weird brain-junk. If you want to get into it too, I highly recommend the courses offered by Second City. I’ve also taken some wonderful workshops with Luke Burns, who’s published in McSweeney’s, The New Yorker, and other fabulous places; you can find him on Twitter (@LukeVBurns), where he usually advertises his courses.
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VB,
M