15 Comments

Totally agree that finding balance can be tough. Your suggestions are great, in both categories. Another thing I try to balance on a daily basis is 'pleasure' vs 'productivity' - they both make me happy but sometimes I need more of one or the other. And activities that do both (like a dance class for me) are even better!

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Loved this article! I’m also a mind person and recently picked up cross stitch to occupy my hands with something. It’s a great way to focus on something that’s not overly strenuous but still gets me out of my head a bit. And I’ve found some really fun patterns on Etsy

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I love this a lot as somebody who frequently feels like a floating brain in a jar

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This was really helpful! I moved to Vermont for the summer and I have yet to get back into any sort of routine. Thanks for the ideas! I will say another idea for getting out of your head would be pickleball. I started playing last summer with a friend and her family. I always leave happy. I can’t explain it haha. I’m not a competitive person by any means but this sport has been fun to learn. Anyone of any age can play which I think makes it unique too. I will say some people are super serious about the sport, but I don’t take it so seriously. How can you when the name of the game is pickleball???

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Same, same same same same. Especially moving from NYC to LA (going from walking *all the time* and subways to cars and sitting) and then moving to remote work during the pandemic - having to consciously add movement into my days has been a big shift.

Getting a dog helped (multiple daily walks!), as has incorporating at-home workouts (thanks, The Sculpt Society!), but I have to say that making my own bread at home has been huge. It's an incredible blend of mind-body meditation, with a satisfying and shareable result. I refresh my sourdough starter, knead dough by hand, adapt based on temperature/hydration differences, and try new things with each loaf. The more I do it, the more I learn! It's really rewarding.

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Love this, Kelly. I’ve found a pretty good balance between mind/body but it definitely took me a bit to get here. I practice yoga regularly to the point where it’s as much a part of my day as brushing my teeth, but it took time to establish a solid routine. I could easily sit on my sofa and read for hours every day, but I’ve found that having an hour where I’m solely focused on moving my body makes it easier to relax later on.

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I am definitely a "mind" person as well - could happily read for hours and hours, and I also still do my wordle daily! I own a winery with my husband focusing on vermouth, so I can stay pretty active during production days, but I am constantly listening to podcasts to make the repetitive tasks more interesting. I also find that if I've had a more admin (aka sitting at a desk) day, I really try to go for a long walk (again, with a podcast) to get myself moving a little. Love the body tips at the bottom, going to add in some of those for some more balance :)

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This resonated so hard with me, Kelly! I’m really happy you found a Pilates class to balance out the two sides of your brain. You are inspiring me to “touch grass” more, as the kids say ;) also, the list of tips at the end is so helpful!

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