This day is to raise awareness to balance work and home life by encouraging the overachievers to schedule time away from work and enjoy life outside of work demands.
What is the definition of a Workaholic? According to Wikipedia:
A workaholic is a person who works compulsively. The term originates from alcoholism. The person works at the cost of their sleep, meeting friends or family. While the term generally implies that the person enjoys their work, it can also alternately imply that they simply feel compelled to do it.
What are some ways to create a little balance in your everyday life?
Do Something Fun
Spend Time Loving Your Family
Journal About the Good Things in Your Life
Smile and Laugh Often
Celebrate Today! 🎉
Schedule a massage or spa day.
Take a slow pace walk with the family and your pet.
Watch a funny movie with your loved ones.
Plan an awesome vacation.
Working all the time will eventually lead to burnout. Take a few minutes out of your day today, do something you enjoy outside of work, and plan a getaway from work. Leave a comment on how you celebrated today. 🙂
Take it easy, enjoy today and, live life to the fullest. ~ Patti
As a leadership and work-life balance coach, I am always open to new ways to banish stress and anxiety and sharing different techniques with others. In today’s blog post, I will be discussing worry stones and the method of rubbing away stress and anxiety.
The practice of rubbing worry stones has been around for centuries. When I was a kid, instead of worry stones, there were pet rocks and colored stones. I have always enjoyed looking at rocks by stopping, picking up the stones and admiring them. Their beautiful shapes, sizes, and colors.
What are some other common names for worry stones? Fidget stones, feeling stones, soothing stones, sensory stones and thumb stones.
According to Wikipedia the origins of worry stones: As a folk practice implement, worry stones have many origins. Variations on the concept originate in ancient Greece, Tibet, Ireland, and multiple Native American tribes. The concept of a worry stone began by the simple action of picking a smooth stone and fiddling with the stone.[3] Worry stones made by sea water were generally used by Ancient Greeks.[4] Native American tribes would continuously give them to younger generations, creating a sense of connection from previous family members.[3] They also believed these worry stones were considered a sacred item and they were extra special if they were made out of quartz.[4]
What is a Worry Stone? A worry stone is a smooth flat rock about the size of a thumb. When rubbing the stone between thumb and fingers, it has a calming effect. The stones are small enough to carry around in your pocket or purse. Stones come in all different colors, sizes, shapes and minerals. They can be river stones, crystals, sea glass, tumbled gems or a smooth flat rock from your backyard. You can purchase stones at craft and arts stores, amazon, mineral-rock shops and rock and gems shows. Some worry stones have an indent inside the size of a thumb. Other stones may have inspirational quotes, one-word sayings, affirmations, religious symbols, etc. Also, painting flat rocks is another way to relax and a way to make the stone more personal to fit your personality or style.
I recently watched a YouTube video called DIY Worry Stones on how to make worry stones from colored baked clay.
How Do You Use A Worry Stone? Place the flat stone in your hand between your thumb and index finger and rub the stone back and forth.
Does Rubbing on a Worry Stone Help Reduce Anxiety and Stress? A worry stone works as a form of reflexology or nerve pressure when rubbed. While rubbing the stone it touches the reflex areas in your thumb and fingers creating a sensation of relaxation and calm within the body. Reflexology is commonly known for applying gentle pressing on certain parts of the body, usually on the feet.
My stone: It is a smooth clear thumb size stone. I purchased it at a mineral-rock store. I like the feel of it in my hand. I do rub it from time to time. When using the worry stone, I will switch up my hands while rubbing it. Using just your dominant hand is fine.
When are good times to rub a worry stone?
🦋 While sitting at a doctor’s office.
🦋 Before taking a test.
🦋 Before giving a presentation.
🦋 When feeling anxious or upset.
🦋 While a customer is yelling at you on the phone.
🦋 Before delivering bad news.
🦋 While contemplating on a big decision or large purchase.
🦋 Before going to sleep.
Does it work? For me, it is a pleasant distraction because I am focusing on rubbing the stone and it does help me gain a new perspective.
For others, I think it depends on the individual and being open to the process. When taking those few moments of rubbing the stone, it can settle the mind.
Takeaway: Carrying a worry stone around with you, especially when feelings of anxiety, anger, or frustration occur. By rubbing your thumb and fingers across the stone it will hit reflex areas and the movement relaxes your mind, body, and spirit.
Please share your answers to the following questions in the comments below:
🦋 Have you rubbed a worry stone?
🦋 What was your experience like?
🦋 When do you use your worry stone?
🦋 What color is it?
🦋 How did you chose it?
🦋 Share a photo of your stone.
🦋 If not,After reading this blog post would you try one?
Did you find this helpful? If so, please share this blog post with others! Comments are always welcome. You may use your initials or anonymous for your name, if this makes you feel more comfortable to comment. 🙂 Thank you for following and supporting me.
Interested in one to one coaching with me?To schedule “one on one coaching” with Patti – click on the “Schedule Now” button below:
I was watching my grandchildren one-day last week and one of the toys we have is a child’s drum with percussions. My Mom bought it for my granddaughter last Christmas. My granddaughter loves it. We had a good jam session with it. She loves music and dancing around. She smiles so big and dances endlessly. It is so joyful to watch.
Being a leadership and work-life balance coach, I am always looking for new ways to release stress and to share these different methods. A couple of years ago one of my good friends told me about drum circles she attended and that they relieve stress. I’ve been thinking about going to a drum circle for a while and wanted to try it out.
So the adventure began. I found a drum circle on www.meetup.com and signed up to go. I asked my husband if he would accompany me. (He really needed to release some stress!) He looked at me with apprehension and said what is it? I explained that a drum circle is where everyone beats on a drum. I wanted to check it out to see how it helps to reduce stress levels and possibly write a blog post about the experience. He was hesitant at first. I said, oh come on let’s make it an adventure. He said okay. 🙂
When we arrived, there were all different sizes of African drums to pick from. The instructor showed us how to hold the drums correctly. Both of us picked a tall drum to sit with between our legs to play. The participants sat in either chair or on a couch in a circle so we could see each other around the room. The instructor started hand drumming slowing with a hand rhythm and we would follow the pattern. Then she would slowly increase the pace for us to follow along.
My husband Tom was natural. He picked up playing the beats quickly. I was all over the place but was having fun banging on the drum. As the class went on, each one of us in the drum circle would start a beat and everyone else would follow. We even had one lady dancing around with a percussion towards the end. She was really enjoying herself and all of us like watching her dance around to the beat of the music. Some of the other participants would switch instruments by using different types of drums or percussions. Handheld drums, floor drums and assorted of percussions. Tom and I keep to the same drum. Towards the last few minutes of the drum circle event, I tried a percussion. It looks similar to a cheese grater but was shaped like a banana and raddled and had a rake to scrap the outside. I would shake it and rake it to make sounds to the beat of the drums. To be honest I wasn’t really to the beat of the music but I tried my best. Haha!
I enjoyed it. I had to really concentrate on the hand movements to follow the rhythm.
Did it relieve stress?
Yes, I think it did. The sound of the vibrations and movement of hands took your mind off of everything but what was happening around you.
Would I do it again?
Definitely, I really did enjoy it. My hands hurt a little afterward but not for too long. I asked Tom his thoughts and he said maybe he would go again if it was closer to home and the timing was right. He didn’t think it really reduced stress but it surprised him that he had a talent he didn’t even know he had. He hadn’t played a musical instrument before.
My only regret was we didn’t take any photos while we were there to share with this post.
Takeaway:
A drum circle was a way to be focussed and concentrate on the hand rhythm and beat of making beautiful sounds. It was an adventure of getting out of our comfort zone, trying something new, meeting different people and getting our minds off of everything else, except the sound and vibration of the music. Everyone should try something new and get out of their comfort zone every once in awhile. In my opinion, it was two hours well spent. ~Patti
Comments are always welcome. You can always use your initials or anonymous for your name, if this makes you feel more comfortable to respond. 🙂 Did you find this helpful? If so, please share this blog post with your colleagues, friends, and family on all your social networks! Thank you. 🙂
To schedule “one on one coaching” with Patti – click on the “Schedule Now” button below:
This course is for leaders who are crazy busy, working 24/7 and want something more in their life. 7 easy hacks to create some personal life balance in this so-called busy life!
This course is for leaders who are crazy busy, working 24/7 and want something more in their life. Â 7 easy hacks to create some personal life balance in this so-called busy life!
I recently started watching the long-running TV series Midsomer Murders on Netflix.  The main character Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby is very dedicated to his job and capturing the murder(s).  He is excellent at his job.  While on a murder case he is very focused on his work, 24/7 until the murders(s) are caught and charged.
Chief Inspector Barnaby loves his job. Â It gives him purpose. Â He coaches and trains his sergeants to be dedicated, knowledgeable, reliable and very good detectives.
Trust is something hard to win, easy to lose and never to be taken lightly. ~ Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, Midsomer Murders
In one episode Sargeant Dan Scott was getting rough with a suspect. After the incident and they were both alone in the vehicle Chief Inspector Barnaby told Sgt. Scott, you will not conduct yourself like that ever again under my watch. As a leader, Inspector Barnaby is not afraid to address bad behavior with his employees.
Do you see a lesson in this? ~ Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, Midsomer Murders
Due to Chief Inspector Barnaby’s dedication to his job, he ends up disappointing his wife Joyce continuously. Â He is a good man. Â He loves his wife, but his job always comes first. Â He does have a habit of not showing up when working a murder case.
He will set up dinner dates with his wife while he is still investigating his case. Â He may even take her to a restaurant and be watching a suspect. Joyce will get up early to cook him breakfast and usually he rushes out without eating her prepared meal. Â They will plan on meeting up for a party or some other occasion and he either arrives late or not at all.
The cleverest lies are those were already inclined to believe. ~Â Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, Midsomer Murders
Joyce wants to spend more quality time with her husband, but he is always on the job 24/7. Â Does any of this sound familiar?Â
In one episode, Chief Inspector Barnaby was suppose to meet his wife Joyce at home and go with her to a party. Â He didn’t show up and Joyce went without him and had a wonderful time. Â He was locked in a cellar with Sgt. Scott all night and she didn’t even realize he didn’t come home. Â I think it surprised him that she wasn’t even worried about him.
In another episode, Joyce and his daughter Cully wanted to purchase a houseboat. Thinking a houseboat would create more family time together. Â The houseboat Joyce and Cully were looking at turned out to be the killers. Â No houseboat was purchased.
In another episode, Joyce wanted Chief Inspector Barnaby to start planning for his retirement and to become a mystery writer. Â She thought he would make more money and be around more. Â It wasn’t Chief Inspector Barnaby’s idea of retirement after the murder investigation.
What now? I’m going to have my cake and eat it.~ Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, Midsomer Murders
In the TV show Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby is considered a family man. When he does arrive home for dinner, he is usually called out again.
How does his marriage survive? Â No work-life balance here!
Of course, he is a fictional character. Â
Do you think this is why he is still in a relationship?Â
