Once a month or so, I like to sit down by myself and do things that I’ve been putting off. I’ll make a whole event of it that feels like a solo date. But I am sure to set a time limit of only an hour or so!
I’ve found that often my negative feelings are due to overwhelm, not stress. Reducing overwhelm is a lot easier for me in tough times because I think of what I can DO which gets me moving through the emotional muck. When I try to reduce stress, I often just return to the emotional mess a few hours later. Hence, productivity nights.
I put on comfy clothes, make some tea, put on some new music and get to work. Last night, I wrote two letters that I’ve been meaning to write for weeks and picked out a present for somebody close to me. A weight off my shoulders fixed in an hour!