The holidays are done. The tree is down. I am back at my desk, coffee up in hand, and facing 553 unread emails, none of which include the invitation to book my “advance” booster as a healthcare worker. Perhaps my voicemails hold a secret…
I’m oddly comforted by being back at work. Admittedly working from home means I never really changed scenery over the holiday, but still, there is something pleasing about the feeling of reconnecting with my team.
I learned something valuable this year that I am sharing here, although it is partly for myself as a reminder later. I have developed a habit of putting tasks aside that I can do later on my vacation. You know what I mean. It’s the books you want to read, the coursework you want to finish, the project you want to do. It turns out that by stockpiling things I want to do, for a brief part of my vacation, I had scheduled myself so tightly, my vacation was just a new full-time job.
It is time to remember that 2022 needs to be a time of protecting our mental health, particularly if you work in healthcare. My goal (not a resolution because this isn’t that) is to make time for the tasks I stockpiled so that my weekends can be free for my own needs and not just about hitting my task list.
It’s a new year to learn who we are and how we function best. For 2022, remember to pace yourself, to set daily health and spiritual goals that revitalize you. And with this abrupt ending, my union-negotiated coffee break is done and it is back to work!
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