Winding down

The past couple of weeks have been somewhat hectic. It’s part and parcel of my job and these times aren’t the norm but they do happen and no matter how far in advance I know of them they always hit me pretty hard.

My stress levels and working hours rise, sleep decreases and I end up in a mostly grumpy/stressed mood. I try to keep a lid on all that when I’m dealing with my loved ones of course, which takes some effort which adds to the tiredness and… so on and so forth. It’s a short brutal cycle that veers from grumpiness to out and out anger, quickly followed by a ‘how do I sort this’ bluntness which can be useful but which I find hard to shake. Once that mood sets in I can be very very productive both at work and at home.

None of this is a complaint. For the most part I enjoy my job, but I need to find better (easier/quicker) ways to get out of ‘work mode’. I know how my behaviour changes when stress hits, I become very very focused and goal oriented, and tend to take a very direct, sometimes provocative, approach to things. Basically, it boils down to ‘shit needs to get done so do it or get out of my way and let me do it’.

It’s not good and it’s definitely not healthy!

It’s also no real wonder that I’ve also had a doozy of a cold for the last three weeks that just does not want to die.

Thankfully I have two very very lovely and understanding girlfriends who have been very accommodating of my moods and needs, despite having their own stuff going on. Not that that excuses any of my bad behaviours but it has helped my stress levels dramatically.

They’ve helped me pause, relax and find my feet again. Those moments allow me to realise just how lucky I am these days.

And just how much I’m looking forward to being on holiday soon!