Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Stress relief

In the government, summer is supposed to be easy. Two thirds of staff are on vacation (or so it seems), there's no one in Parliament to ask annoying questions about your department and you're still in the dawn of the new fiscal year. Easy-peasy.
Maybe for most. But not for me and my colleagues this year.
Yes it is several months into a new fiscal year but we still don't have 2/3 of our budget in place, it was only actually secured a few weeks ago. So we suddenly have 2/3 of the time we usually do to spend all our money in a responsible fashion.
I can deal with that, we knew it was coming, but thanks to a few HR shake ups, were suddenly operating minus some very key players and I have way more responsibility than I anticipated. So I'm a little stressed, or at least, way more than I should be for August.
I was good, I took vacation, generally ignored the crack berry but several days back into working my neck was already taut with tension and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
So while I do intend to abuse alcohol on a fairly regular basis (I do have birthday in just a few short weeks) and lacking a boyfriend for that other form of stress relief (not for lack of trying, and there may even be a few promising prospects), for the sake of my liver, my own sanity and that of my friends and coworkers, I need to find some ways to RELAX.
So far this week - I had a lovely massage which included venting to my very understanding masseuse (she told me people with a lot of tension in the forearms have issues with control, I'm surprised I can still feel my fingers if that's true). It's expensive but I think a habit I'll be keeping up.
Tonight my lovely roomie and I hit bootcamp, which though it involved way too many step ups on a high ledge than I would have preferred, also includes PUNCHING. I LIKE PUNCHING. Will definitely keep this up for the fall.
Still to come this week, a trip to the hot springs with my girls (which will involve martinis) and hanging out with my very bestie (which will involve wine).
I'm always trying to reward myself like with the possibility of awesome trips in a couple of months (NYC, and somewhere warm this winter). E
Maybe I can make it through all this craziness, with judicial applications of endorphins, pampering and alcohol (post boot camp beer tonight was awesome). But I am still open to suggestions - how do you relax? Anything but for illegal drugs and baths (I can't stand just sitting there and candles make me nervous) I'm probably game.