The One-Hour Reset

⏲ Quick sip! A 3 min. read.

Another day getaway.

Since the four of us took a day-cation the first week of August, I've been to the grocery store, the pharmacy, the hardware store, and church. That's it. 

I was feeling like I needed some sort of getaway, only I'm cash-strapped right now, the gas tank has enough for basic needs for the next 2 weeks, and I'm tired from sleep problems. These factors significantly limited how much I could do.

So what did I do for a getaway? 

My husband was at the office, one daughter had a medical appointment in the afternoon, the other daughter was taking the morning off from working on a commission to compensate for working longer hours this coming weekend. This meant both daughters had a couple of hours in the morning they could spare and share. We briefly talked about options and decided on going to a favorite local thrift store for an hour. 

I love looking at books and things for the home. It's a smaller thrift store than Goodwill or Value Village, so there isn't as much to see. But it was a fun hour. When our hour was up, we headed back home so we could all get back to work/appointments.

For me, this sort of getaway is refreshing because it takes my mind someplace else for a short while. We've had a couple of extended family crises to deal with in the last few months, and they've been a continuous, exhausting stress. 

I really needed to not think about all of that, for even one hour. Taking just one hour to go to a park or a shopping center provides an essential psychological and physiological reset when you're going through a difficult time.

When life feels overwhelming, we can't always change our circumstances, but we can change our immediate environment for one hour. I call these "micro-escapes." In the grand scheme of a day, one hour is itty bitty enough that those who may need me on a regular basis don't really notice that I'm not fully available. A text or phone call returned an hour later never feels that late. The garden can wait. The chores can wait. Getting dinner started can wait for just one hour.

And yet, that one hour is an escape. It is like a circuit breaker for a looping, stressed mind.  Flip the switch and the thoughts and worries are shut off long enough to regain rational thinking. It's a temporary pocket of quiet for the nervous system.

As I mentioned above, my daughters and I pretty much chose to do this at the last minute. A micro-escape requires minimal planning and can be absolutely free. In addition to parks and shopping venues, an hour spent in the library or garden center can also provide an hour of respite. Find the corner of the library with the books you most love to browse. Or walk down the aisles of the garden center filled with flowers or seedling plants promising a future of beauty. 

If your circumstances don't allow you to leave a current situation, you can make a micro-escape right in your own home. A cup of tea, a chair by a window, and a funny video on your phone can transport your mind for a brief 30 minutes.

Taking an hour for yourself isn't selfish; it is essential stewardship of your own strength. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Giving yourself a "permission slip" to take a quick breather makes you more resilient for the people who need you.

For the record, I brought $5 with me to the thrift store. That was my spending limit in order to prevent me from experiencing even more stress, the stress from overspending. What did I buy with my $5? I bought a Misto cooking oil sprayer and a tiny pumpkin candle holder. I'd been hoping to buy a Misto for several years. At thrift store prices, I can try this out with minimal investment. And I didn't need the pumpkin-shaped candle holder, but it looked cheerful. A little cheer at a budget price is what I need right now.

When the road gets heavy, we have to look for those tiny, quiet clearings in the woods.

Your Turn: I would love to turn our comments into a peaceful gallery of ideas this weekend. If you have just one quiet hour all to yourself to step out of your routine and reset your mind, where do you go?