As someone who works a modified second shift, my mornings tend to be where I spend about half my time off from work. Mornings include daytime errands, household chores, or even just spending time on my latest hobby. I usually wake about 6 hours before heading to work for the day. How I handle my mornings carries over not just to my work day, but also even into the next day. If I do too much, I'm ragged before work even begins. Too little and I've doomed the next morning or two.
This week, I'm going to try journaling again -- just some time to actually sit and process the day or any problems I'm having. I'm in the middle of some pretty major life changes and with the chaos of all that's going on, I've not had a lot of time to really just sit and think and process everything. There's something sort of magical about putting words to paper - it's ink; there's no backspace, no spellcheck. I tend to be more careful with my words, slow down, give my brain space. As a result, thoughts and ideas start to swirl in my head that I didn't even know were there until they appear on the page.
(Also, I'm very happy to have found your page. I've been reading for the past 3 or 4 weeks now and really appreciate the Soft Sunday posts. Softness is underrated, especially these days when everything around us is so raw.)
You named it so clearly; how second shift mornings carry the weight of both today and tomorrow. That thin line between doing too much and not enough? That’s real. And your awareness of it is a soft system in itself.
Journaling sounds like exactly the right choice for this season. There’s a kind of magic in slowing down enough to put words to paper; no backspace, no pressure, just clarity unfolding one line at a time.
If you want to experiment with rhythm this week, try this:
Start with a check-in: Is my energy low, medium, or high?
Low – 10 min journal, 5 min movement, 1 tiny prep task
Medium – 15 min journal, 15 min chore, 15 min quiet joy
High – 20 min journal, 30 min focus, 10 min reset for Future You
Soft guardrails: set a stop time before work, no new tasks after, and preview tomorrow before you clock in.
So grateful you’re here. You’re right, softness is underrated, and it’s also revolutionary.
I would love to hear about your journaling experience. I’m such a believer in it, too; it’s one of the few places where I can slow down enough to actually hear myself think. I’m rooting for you.
Thank you so much for the suggestion. I love how you broke down the time and tasks based on energy level. I know it's probably just common sense, but too often I take an all or nothing approach to tasks.
As someone who works a modified second shift, my mornings tend to be where I spend about half my time off from work. Mornings include daytime errands, household chores, or even just spending time on my latest hobby. I usually wake about 6 hours before heading to work for the day. How I handle my mornings carries over not just to my work day, but also even into the next day. If I do too much, I'm ragged before work even begins. Too little and I've doomed the next morning or two.
This week, I'm going to try journaling again -- just some time to actually sit and process the day or any problems I'm having. I'm in the middle of some pretty major life changes and with the chaos of all that's going on, I've not had a lot of time to really just sit and think and process everything. There's something sort of magical about putting words to paper - it's ink; there's no backspace, no spellcheck. I tend to be more careful with my words, slow down, give my brain space. As a result, thoughts and ideas start to swirl in my head that I didn't even know were there until they appear on the page.
(Also, I'm very happy to have found your page. I've been reading for the past 3 or 4 weeks now and really appreciate the Soft Sunday posts. Softness is underrated, especially these days when everything around us is so raw.)
You named it so clearly; how second shift mornings carry the weight of both today and tomorrow. That thin line between doing too much and not enough? That’s real. And your awareness of it is a soft system in itself.
Journaling sounds like exactly the right choice for this season. There’s a kind of magic in slowing down enough to put words to paper; no backspace, no pressure, just clarity unfolding one line at a time.
If you want to experiment with rhythm this week, try this:
Start with a check-in: Is my energy low, medium, or high?
Low – 10 min journal, 5 min movement, 1 tiny prep task
Medium – 15 min journal, 15 min chore, 15 min quiet joy
High – 20 min journal, 30 min focus, 10 min reset for Future You
Soft guardrails: set a stop time before work, no new tasks after, and preview tomorrow before you clock in.
So grateful you’re here. You’re right, softness is underrated, and it’s also revolutionary.
I would love to hear about your journaling experience. I’m such a believer in it, too; it’s one of the few places where I can slow down enough to actually hear myself think. I’m rooting for you.
Thank you so much for the suggestion. I love how you broke down the time and tasks based on energy level. I know it's probably just common sense, but too often I take an all or nothing approach to tasks.