This post is about a small observation that I have made during these past few days.
I’m about 3 days in on my summer vacation and 4 weeks leave from work. So far I have biked a little, tanned a little and slept too little in fact. Whoever praised the Swedish bright nights never actually lived here. They totally suck for sleeping.
Anyways, normally I have a BUSY life. I work 40 hours a week, I do worship at church, I volunteer for the Red Cross and well.. actually at the moment I am studying 50% on the side of work. I also help my friends out by the side..with some translating, writing essays in Swedish and random other stuff. So you can see I have a busy life.
I love it!
I love my busy life.
I’m recognized in my small town by many people and my engagements keep me social and active. I am addicted to social media and follow everything that happens on Facebook, instagram, Snapchat.. you name it.
Like I said.. active! And I love it!
However, now I am on vacation. I have about 10 days that are aimed to doing nothing.. the rest of my vacation I will be traveling. But these 10 days I am supposed to relax.
Research says that it takes about a week to slow down and calm down. That’s why Swedish vacation is 4 weeks. 1 week to calm down in the beginning and one week to get excited for work again at the end, and two relaxing weeks in the middle.
I would say that I am pretty good at handling stress and impressions. The constant input from my surroundings in my everyday life is stimulating and I don’t fret to activate the notifications on my phone. On the contrary. The more the better. But now, here comes my small observation.
During these three vacation days that have already passed on my vacation.. I have found myself disactivating the notifications one by one, because it stresses me out. I found this most illogical. I am starting to calm down, I have all the time in the world and no obligations at the moment.. to be honest my brain is more or less on its way to empty..so there is a bunch of space. Still these notifications stresses me out. So I desactivate them.
One by one.
I know that it’s probably not that weird and I’m sure there is a bunch of research talking about how, when you relax into vacation mode you can handle less stress and disturbance than while you are on the move and ready for anything coming your way.
It’s just new.
New to me.
This spring has been mad. I haven’t been this busy in a long time. Running around, doing my stuff. Both work and my personal life has been mad and my involvement in my kids’ lives at work has never been higher.
Now, suddenly, it’s time to let go. In a second.
Turn off your work phone, don’t think of those kids in need, pause from studies and leave your obligations behind. Relax.
And then I fall.
Down into a sensitive hole.
That where the sound of my phone is suddenly too loud and the message that I have been longing for from busy friends are too much, taking over.
Taking over my empty space. My vacation space. My alone space.
So, right at this moment I am sitting on a bench in the wind and sun. Relaxing. I could be with people. But I don’t want to.
Because people talk too much. About stuff. And my brain is emptying. I don’t want to talk. My involvement in stuff is tuning down. I just wanna be. Don’t think.
I guess this is real big time vacation mode.
Welcome Matilda!
Matildasworld's Blog 