Jun 6, 2013 Contributed by: Rachel Jessica Tan
It’s been nice having some time off over the holiday period. Even though sometimes Christmas seems to get super busy anyhows, i.e. running around town to 3 sets of family lunches. Now that we’re right back into the swing of the new year, there’s a few things that I’m endeavouring to do differently this year.
The first 6 months of last year were an incredibly busy time for me, with A LOT of production work. And it is sometimes a case of just running on adrenalin, but then once the projects were completed, I felt a bit burnt out. Not in the normal sense but I’d even had enough of any email or phone call about anything to do with production. ANYTHING. And this is the stuff I LOVE doing.
So this year, I’m going to instil some new regular practices. I know that usually when I’m busy, the last thing I want to do is roll out my yoga mat because I either just want to collapse into bed from exhaustion or I feel guilty for not doing work. But it’s all about balance and finding some Zen in everyday life.
Walk by the Beach
I do this most weeks especially in Summer, but I find being near the water is incredibly refreshing. Especially if I’ve been stewing over a script, reading an information-heavy book or just generally being crazy busy with production tasks.
2. Meditate
Meditation is one of my regular practices however I found that when I’m really busy, I tend to let it go by the wayside. It’s hard to switch off from a busy schedule sometimes but that’s the whole point of meditation. So this year, I’m making a conscious effort to continue this practice especially when I am busy. A guided meditation track for even 5-10 minutes works wonders, and you can do this any where, any time!
3. Make Time for My Love
I sometimes get quite engrossed in my work that everything outside of it blurs into the background. I have gotten much better at balancing my work with my love life, but it’s my intention to ensure I always make an extra effort when I’ve got a lot on. It probably seems harder than it actually is, but a little forethought goes a long way, especially in making your partner still feel like a top priority and most of all loved. Plus, you get to enjoy their company and forget all about work for a while!
4. Practice Yoga
I love yoga, especially because it seems all sweet and innocent and then it totally kicks your butt because you realise you’ve got muscles that you never thought you had! I believe even 15 minutes daily makes a huge difference, so I try to begin most of my days with yoga.
5. Sleep.
I like my sleep. And as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realise how important sleep really is. I notice if I don’t get enough, I definitely pay for it the next day. So I have to make up for it at some point otherwise I simply run out of energy. Usually 8 hours is enough for me and I find if I have a busy week ahead, I usually need a little more so I get into bed earlier. It might make me feel older, but it's totally worth it!
Rachel is an actress/writer/producer, founder of PMU Productions and author of eBook 'Inspired Living' based between Melbourne and LA. She loves inspiring others to live their best life!
