How do you switch gears?
Smoother Shifts & Transitions in Your Day
Use these Journal Prompts when it's time to switch gears:
What shift would I like to make right now? Name the phase or mode you were just in and the phase or mode you'd like to enter.
What doesn't need to come with me into this next phase (or part of day or project)?
What would I like to welcome into my space as I start this next phase? Consider the physical and the energetic aspects that will help you move forward.
Even if you consider your daily life to be untraditional or less structured, there's always transition time built in. There are times when you shift from one state of being to another or move from one task/project to another. These might require you to shift modes physically, mentally, emotionally, and energetically.
I've always had trouble with transition times or shifts in my day. For example, I struggle to wake up, and ever since I started working from home, I struggle with the end of the work day. I particularly find it hard to shift from my work mode to a more creative mode.
In talking with friends and clients, I know I'm not alone in this. A yoga therapist offered me some ideas to help me shift gears during key points of the day, and they may help you too. You could make that transition period something like a ritual. To mark the shift, you could:
Burn a specific candle (maybe pick a scent or color that means something to you or the project)
Pick an essential oil to work with (diffuse it or use it on your body)
Drink a certain type of beverage (maybe with a distinct flavor)
Move your body (take a walk, do yoga, or dance)
Play a song, a certain type of music, or a sound (chimes, a bell, etc)
Do breathwork/pranayama
Journal
Meditate or say a prayer
State affirmations
Hold a mudra (could be incorporated into breathwork or meditation as well)
It could take some time to find the exact thing that will help you. Scent might be huge for you, or maybe you will find it necessary to move your body. You could even do a combination of the suggestions I listed.
See if the above journal prompts help you narrow it down. By identifying the type of energy you'd like to bring in when you move into a new phase or segment of your day, you might be able to sense what your body needs for that. Maybe even take some time to explore in general how you move through the transitions in your day now, and ask yourself what has worked and what hasn't. Play around with it a bit, and let me know what you settle on!
With much love & gratitude,
Marcy
Practice with me anytime with the free Embodied Reading Yoga & Journaling Series or try the Honor Your Pace Yoga & Journaling Series.