Take a Moment to Chill

Property of Stormberry

 The title is more for me than you, but if you feel like you need to chill too, by all means, apply it to yourself as well. These last two weeks have been full of activities for me, and even though the workload at the office have been low, my personal and social life has been taking a lot of space and time. This is what happens when you commit to a group and that group goes through a period of expansion.

In the last days I've been working after work contacting people who want to affiliate to our political party and going through the mechanics of doing background checks - something basic and simple, nothing nefarious -, interviewing them and then adding them to the right chat. And at the same time, I - who am not fond of WhatsApp or group chats - have to go on checking so many chat groups that I am considering to write myself a "chat dictionary" so that I know which one is for which.

and next week won't be much different, as I'll take a workshop to be able to conduct induction talks to the new affiliates, which means that, on top of carding through lists of people requesting to affiliate, doing the background checks, and interviewing them, I'll also have groups assigned to give them induction talks at given times per week, for which I'll have to prepare. And that's just part of it! I have all this energy for action and I'm finding places to use it: help in a district improvement plan, work with the Women's Committee, tackle a project to systematize all the Bills the Party has put forth, make a financial analysis of the municipal budget, and so on. And I'm excited about all of this!

But, the truth of the matter is that we are finite beings with limited resources. Each of us only has 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and limited amounts of energy. We must prioritize, distribute energy and also find spaces to replenish. If we can take a moment to charge our phones, tablets and laptops, why couldn't we do the same with ourselves?

Unplug, journal, read, knit or just watch a series or a movie if you really can't tear yourself away from the screen (though it's better to do so). Step away from work and projects, grab that old record player and put on an LP. Take your time, concentrate on placing the needle, and listen to music for 20 or 30 minutes. Measure time in a different way, away from the trappings of modern life, designed to keep you scrolling.

Take a moment to chill.