31 Days / day 3 - take time to RESET

Today was Sunday. And that means one thing in our home... it's reset day.

So what does this have to do with blogging and business? In a word... lots.

Setting at least one day a week aside where you can leave all thoughts of work and deadlines (and blogging) as we know it behind is actually important. AND...  it frees up precious time you can spend with your family.

Here's where I'm coming from:

I had a VERY stressful week last week. My work had blasted through the ceiling and it was all I could do to stay awake in the PM and meet blogging and magazine deadlines. (more on that topic to come) Once mission was accomplished by dinnertime Saturday, I was D.O.N.E.

So we proceeded to church the next morning, but I wasn't really in the right spirits.

My son chose the empty balcony which caught me off guard, but I went with the flow. And I'm really glad I did.

I struggled to listen to the message. My mind was racing every which way with no pause button in sight. I kept forcing myself back to the pastor's words, but it wasn't until the music started that 'it' happened.

One particular song came on and I knew right away I was in trouble. With eyes stinging, blinking wildly while wishing away what was to come, it was too late.

I didn't hear the words to the song, for the tune itself sang the story.

The song started off soft and kind like any day of ours. But the sudden crescendo rise mimicked what our days of late held... totally wound with busy moments and short fuses. When the song smoothed out again, it was like a soothing wave hit me, wiping out my troubled heart and leaving me with this amazing...

What had me completely wound up before became so insignificant. And it was only then that I looked at my son and forgot what the big huff was all about.

(for the record, the song was Hallelujah)

My main reset moments frequently happen during a church service. It's the first dedicated place all week I willingly walk away from whatever ails me, allowing the words and meaning to hit full force.

But anyone can practice a reset anywhere. What's important is to allow your mind to stop with the noise and let the good in.

I actually practice mini resets a lot during work days. If I'm stressed about a particular step in a project, I'll start singing along to the tunes on the radio. Imagine me in a bay full of guys working on a firetruck, and while performing a balancing act at the top of a ladder, I'm... singing. Beats complaining, doncha think? :)

No one has a clue where my mind really is. And it's not that I'm trying to be something I'm not... I just find it removes the concern and replaces it with an optimistic outlook.

So here's a little test for you to try. Next time you feel frustrated or worried, STOP. Stop thinking of the bad and replace it with something that takes your mind off of it. And for the record, my own personal resets frequently accompany prayer. Ya gotta ask to get... :)

As for blogging under stress, I have a personal rule. If anything upsetting happens, I wait 24 hours before I'll publish anything. Blogging under stress can and will come through. Talking about things going wrong in an effort to receive desired empathy is not the same thing. Being outright mad at something can have your readers viewing you as defensive and difficult. Would you wish to do business with someone like that? No, of course not.

It's human nature to get upset and stressed. However we also all have the power to overcome it too.

What's your preferred method of chilling out?

A post about beating stress is HERE.

All 31 Day posts to date are HERE.

Visit Day One for each listing HERE.