Hi,
It's Mary.
You've just finished your work day,
But your nervous system is still in go mode.
Your mind is racing with tomorrow's tasks,
Unfinished projects and that email you forgot to send.
This is your sacred transition time,
Five minutes to help your body and mind shift from professional mode to personal time.
First,
Let's acknowledge the day you've just completed.
You showed up,
You handled challenges,
You made decisions.
Even if the day didn't go perfectly,
You navigated it with the tools you had.
Now take three conscious breaths to begin this transition.
Remember,
You're going to breathe into your belly and relax your shoulders.
And as you exhale,
You're releasing the energy of meetings and deadlines.
You're breathing into your belly.
And as you're breathing out,
Letting go of any workplace tension you're carrying.
Breathe in,
Down into your belly.
And as you breathe out,
You're creating space for your personal life to begin.
Now let's help your body release work mode.
If you can,
Change your clothes.
Even just putting on different shoes signals to your nervous system that you're shifting roles.
Roll your shoulders back,
Stretch your arms above your head,
Shake out your hands and wrists from all that typing.
Here's something I learned in my film industry days.
Your personal relationships deserve the same presence and attention you give to your professional life.
But that can only happen when you consciously transition between the two.
Take a moment to set an intention for your evening.
How do you want to show up for your family,
Friends or even just for yourself?
Maybe it's being fully present during dinner conversation.
Maybe it's enjoying a hobby without thinking about work.
Maybe it's simply being kind to yourself as you rest.
Before you fully step into personal time,
Take 30 seconds to write down any work thoughts that are still cycling through your mind.
Get them out of your head and onto paper.
Tell your brain I'll deal with you tomorrow.
Your work day is complete.
You've earned this transition and you've earned your personal time.
Step into your evening with the same intention and presence you bring to your professional life.
You're not switching off,
You're switching on to a different,
Equally important part of your day.
