Getting Lost in a Schedule: Taking the Time to Regroup

Breathe.

I don’t like thinking that I get lost in completing scheduled tasks yet here I am finding myself in exactly that circumstance. Often having a plan to “get things accomplished” and “off of my plate” so that I can get to some relaxation doesn’t always work as planned. Case in point. I’m on an airline prepared to get some “work” done only to find out that my plane doesn’t have internet capability. My plans…out the window. It appears like a good time to use for relaxation yet it was not what I had in mind.

On my way to go to an eagerly awaited workshop and to visit a friend, I planned this well…but clearly not well enough. Changing gears should appear pretty easy yet it some times feels like I am wasting my time. I do remember when “planning” to relax was not something I did. Timelines, schedules, deadlines have now required something different of me. Learning all of the time… I embrace the time and use it differently, even though I know I am resistant to the thought.

Deep breaths… reminds me of a wonderful free app called Breathe2Relax. It is available for android or apple and can be used on a phone or a tablet. It is a well-researched and comprehensive app developed for soldiers coming back from the current wars by the National Center for Telehealth & Technology. This is a wonderful example of our tax dollars going to good use. This app allows you to watch a demonstration of diaphragmatic breathing and learn about stress and its effects through reading or watching videos. Most importantly, you can practice personal breathing sessions. Choose your own visual and audio setting, the number of breathing cycles you want to do, track your own stress and progress in relaxation and it is all anonymous.