We're Back! The Importance of the Pause... and Rethinking Your Priorities.

We’re back!

It’s been a little while…I’m positive that we’re not the only ones who have found the past two years intense. Also, our ‘re-entry’ into ‘normal’ hasn’t been the smoothest. Unfortunately the world doesn’t stop…the news can be hard to see/read. It also feels like we’re living in a post 2020/2021 world but with 2019 expectations. This can be… a lot.

It’s not all negatives though. It’s also been fun and exciting to be able to do things again, to see people again. To have the freedom and hope to plan and look forward to things again. How lovely has it been to book a holiday and know that it will mostly likely happen?!

With all that said, it can be challenging to embrace this ‘post COVID’ life with all of its positives, negatives, expectations and anticipations. How do you prioritise all your needs in a manageable and sustainable way? COVID lockdowns forced us to slow down, to do less, to simplify our lives. How can we keep some of these calm and simple ways today?

It doesn’t have to be impossible. Perhaps start with a pause.

Deliberately block out a weekend for yourself with no plans or expectations. Take this time to go slow. Ask yourself the following questions.

What am I enjoying at the moment?

What am I managing well?

Do I feel overwhelmed or stretched thin at work? At home? With family and friends? In my own physical and mental health?

If you feel like any of the answers to the above questions leave you feeling like you’re not coping to well or there’s room for improvement, rather than falling into the trap of adding more in - e.g. I need to go to the gym 3 times a week from now on or I need to be drinking 2 litres of water a day or I’m going to try and book one friend catch up a week maybe try what can I REMOVE? We often expect ourselves to do more but this leads to burnout or feeling like we are a failure because we can’t keep up with our own expectations. Rather think about, what can you do less of…for now? Set reasonable expectations for yourself, which may mean letting something go or doing something ‘good enough for now.’ This doesn’t have to be a forever decision but a decision for right now so that you can feel more on track. Remember the pause is not something you should do as a once off. Try and build this into your life more consistently so that you have an opportunity to constantly check in with yourself and reorganise your priorities if you need to. Just remember it’s ok to say no, if you need to. The world said no for us for a long time, it took the burden of responsibility off our shoulders (even if we kind of didn’t want it to) but now this is something we need to take ownership of for ourselves, saying no means you’re prioritising you.

At Piece by Piece Therapies these are common difficulties we see our client’s facing. How can someone put themselves first in a meaningful and lasting way? This is not always easy. Here at Piece by Piece Therapies we are a team of compassionate and skilled Psychologists who are here to navigate this journey with you, at your own pace. Please feel free to reach out for additional support for yourself, or maybe someone you love. Click the button below for additional information or to book in for an appointment.

Happy Pausing!