My BFF at work recently said, “Claire, you do an amazing job of self-care.” My response: “It’s not a choice.” I wouldn’t be able to function if I didn’t incorporate breaks into my daily routine.
I’m not stranger to startup life. It’s a grind. It’s long hours, endless days filled with rushing from one meeting to another, and then you have to actually sit down and get some work done. I see the people at the office who never leave. They never take breaks, they never stop to rest. My BFF falls into this category, where burnouts are nipping at your heels and each day is culminated with a frazzled mind and fried brain.
I also used to be this person. I knew I had to change my routine, so I started making small changes each day and eventually got to a happy place.
Here’s what I do to keep me grounded and less fried at the end of each day.
Every single day, I leave the office to go for a walk, run a quick errand, or go to a 30-minute meditation class down the street. Without these activities, I wouldn’t be able to get back to my desk and finish off the day in full concentration mode. Even if it’s just to smell the fresh air or briskly walk to the park for 10 minutes, going outside is a must.
Before or after work, I go to my one-hour yoga class. (Where would I be without the many of Core Power Yoga studios in the Bay and around the country?!)
When it’s winter, I snowboard on weekends and take trips to my favorite mountains (Breck and Whistler). I watch a ton of movies, cook, listen to an obscene amount of audiobooks, and engage in meaningful conversations with friends and loved ones.
The result of all this fun time? I can conquer whatever projects I have, answer emails, think creatively, and come up with new ideas for how I can improve projects at work.
When’s the last time you took a break on the regular?
Claire Tak 