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Sometimes, what you need more than anything, is a day off. Here are some tips.
• Go away. Get in your car and go somewhere. Doesn't really matter if it's 20 minutes away, or 2 hours away. Just go somewhere else.
• Turn off your cell phone. If that scares you to death, then decide three exact times that you will turn it on to check for texts or voice mails. Forget emails... if it was that crucial, they wouldn't send an email. Promise yourself you'll only respond to texts or voice messages that are legitimately critical (meaning something bad will happen unless you do). Do not log on to Facebook. Turn Twitter off. Disconnect from the matrix.
• Spend time with someone you enjoy. Talk about anything but school and your organization. It's not a day off if you spend the whole day processing every problem you have. Just give it a rest for a day. Force yourself to acknowledge the world outside of the little bubble you're living in.
• Go see someone from whom you've been feeling disconnected. Go see Grandma, or your friend at another school, or your cousin James in prison. Whatever. Spend some time in someone else's life instead of yours.
• Spend it alone, if you like. Just do something that you enjoy. Go fishing, go shopping, go visit that museum you've always wanted to check out. Eat a meal alone and enjoy the time to think. Talk to strangers and laugh a little.
• Treat yourself to something. Eat something really great. Buy the better seat in the basketball arena. Drink the expensive beer. It feels good to reward yourself now and then.
• At some moment of the day when you feel totally relaxed or happy, grab something that will help you remember the moment. Take a picture on your phone. Maybe it will bring a happy relaxing memory sometime when you really need it.
• When you return to campus, don't re-engage the matrix again, right away. Get a good night's sleep with the cell phone off. Don't answer knocks at the door. Let the peace of the day sink in.
