Restorative Practices
I’m on a mission to help people move from simple distraction (think: doomscrolling, watching TV, checking out) at the end of a long day. Here are a few restorative practices to consider!
Other Restorative Practices
Think: what intentionally restores you, not just distracts you or occupies your time. Like what drinking water does for your body versus a can of soda. Water restores.
Grounding - stop by a green space for at least 10 minutes to feel the sun on your skin and the breeze on your back. Plant your bare feet onto the grass/ground for at least 10 minutes if you can.
Take a bath for at least 20 minutes - add epsom salt (instructions are on each bag) or quality essential oils like lavender or herbs like chamomile in empty tea bags to enhance!
Process your emotions - talk with someone you live with or by phone. Journal your thoughts for the day.
Rough day? Check in with yourself to see which ‘part’ of you is upset. The Perfectionist who didn’t get something ‘right’? The People Pleaser who didn’t speak up for themselves? The Angry part who snapped at someone?
Practice self-compassion. Dr. Kristin Neff has great free resources on her website. Be kind to yourself. If that’s hard to do as yourself, imagine someone you admire being kind to you.
Restorative Practices
Bring Intention
Be thoughtful about what you are doing.
Check in with yourself.
How do you want to download the day?
Speak closure out loud? Journal a moment? Visualize a door shutting on your day?
Making a clear transition between work and home (even if you work remotely) can be helpful to intentionally shift energy.
This is akin to eating your vegetables and protein before carbs. Give yourself emotional nourishment before you do anything else!
Ending your workday:
Pause intentionally.
Check in with your body. What do you notice?
Ask yourself, “how was this day?" “What do I need to leave here?”
Cognitively write down what you are leaving at work. This might be in your phone or in an email to yourself or on a piece of paper.
Optional addition -Close your eyes and see yourself closing a door on the piece or paper or thoughts/visuals of what you are leaving at work.
Take three slow deep breaths in through your nose and out of your mouth.
Envision what you are releasing or leaving at work be exhaled with your out-breaths.
As you leave your office, bring to mind what you are looking forward to at home - seeing your partner, your kids, relaxing with a bath, cooking dinner, meal-prepping for tomorrow, exercising, etc.
Smile.
Somatic/body option for ending your workday -
Bring intention to what you are releasing from your day - stressful meeting? Oversharing co-worker? Heavy energy? General release?
Begin at the top of your head and begin ‘brushing off’ the energy by ‘dusting’ yourself off from head to toe.
Intentionally think about what you are brushing off and say out loud or to yourself that you are releasing the energy of the day and leaving it at work.
Brush yourself off down your shoulders, arms, torso, chest/heart, legs, calves and feet.
Bonus: imagine and act out pulling the excess energy from your body through your toes. Gather that into a ball and ‘toss’ it out the window as you would throw a paper ball into the trash can.
Take one deep breath and give yourself a big exhale.
Smile.