Consistent self-care and wellness habits weren’t high on my radar at one point in my career. And then it caught up to me.
It was a Monday morning and I was driving to the office. It was dark…and very early. I worked and did errands all weekend so that I could start my week feeling like things were under control.
Then something started to happen.
I felt a lump in my throat and it felt suddenly hard to breathe. I had this very unsettled feeling and my chest felt tight. I pulled over because I was wondering what on earth was going on. Like any modern, working woman, I pulled out my phone and started entering my symptoms.
Google said I was having a panic attack.
I tried some breathing and managed to regain some composure and drove to work. Once I started my day, my throat still felt tight and it was even hard to talk. My voice started wavering and I couldn’t seem to think clearly. It was a rough day. And then a rough week, a rough month, and it lasted a long time. I never told a soul what I was actually going through.
I figured it would pass.
The physical symptoms I was feeling ended up being an accumulation of many things: working too many hours, insomnia, and not enough exercise. I just wasn’t taking care of myself like I knew I should.
I saw my doctor, a therapist, a naturopath, and a host of professionals to get support. Little by little, I experimented with different strategies and began to feel more like myself again.
Building Healthy Weekend Habits
Then I started to experiment with small things on the weekend to help me feel more balanced and in control. One strategy was that I scheduled a standing appointment with myself every Sunday where I would scan my entire week and then think through what I needed to have in place.
Working late two evenings? I’d cook a big crock pot of food that I could use for several meals so I wouldn’t end up ordering in or eating fast food. I tried to incorporate some sort of exercise, often just a short walk outside while listening to a podcast or audiobook, often focusing on health and wellness topics. My anxiety started to get more under control.
The learning I was doing through experimentation led me to start reading research papers, which I love, as a researcher myself. I began REALLY learning about this thing that had eluded me for so long: balance.
And maybe work life balance isn’t even the right term. It’s about finding ways to even out the ebbs and flows of life over time. We’re all going to have those periods of time where there is nothing to do but get through a jam-packed week.
Over time, I built weekend habits that helped me manage those weeks feeling like things were under control even when it was a busy week ahead. I shared some of my practices with family and friends and we’d share ideas and strategies. I started to write a new book about what I’d learned about using weekend habits to begin the week feeling strong.
And that’s how The Weekend Reset Challenge was born.
What’s The Weekend Reset Challenge?
Through research and practice, I identified 7 different practices that are grounded in both research and practicality. When we engage in them, even if we don’t have much time, we can start the week feeling connected, confident and calm.
The 7 practices make the acronym, COMPASS:
C – Connect (build and maintain relationships)
O – Outdoors (spend outdoors or in nature)
M – Move (exercise and movement)
P – Plan (look ahead to the week ahead)
A – Appreciation (engage in gratitude)
S – Spark (be creative and engaging in learning)
S – Stillness (be mindful, meditative and present)
You might already be saying, “I don’t have time to do these things…especially not 7 things”!
But it doesn’t have to be onerous. During the 7-week challenge, you’ll get an email each week to learn about why each practice is important, what the research says, and get lists of low time/low prep strategies as well as ones that might take more time.
My best weekend wellness tip is to combine several at a time!
For example:
- Go for a short walk outside and listen to a short podcast (Move-Outdoors-Spark)
- Do yoga with a friend (Move-Stillness-Connect)
- Send a text of gratitude (Connect-Appreciation)
There are endless possibilities that will improve your well being and mental health, and it doesn’t have to take a ton of time! You’ll also get downloadable PDF guides each week with long lists of ideas, sorted into categories in case you only have a little time available, or when you have a more space in your weekend.
So sign up for the FREE challenge, join the community, and check out the Online Toolkit for research, strategies and resources.
I can’t wait to see how all 7 practices will transform your week…and your life.
