When I had my first of two children almost nine years ago, I switched from full time (three 12-hour shifts per week) to part time (two 12-hour shifts per week). With my husband working four 10-hour days per week, this arrangement has allowed our family the incredible privilege of not needing childcare outside of the family.

That said, the arrangement also means that I as a nurse and mother have very little opportunity to rest. When I’m at work, all cylinders are operating on high alert in every way—mental, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual. When I’m home, I am keeping tabs on everyone’s physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs. I’m managing the housework, trying to keep track of groceries, struggling with creative and healthy meal prep, and caring for a complicated dog and two less complicated tortoises. My husband and I are deeply involved in our church community and trying to faithfully maintain friendships. I have various speaking engagements to prepare for. Life is incredibly full.

In the midst of life’s ongoing demands, I’ve had to become smarter about approaches to downtime and venues of rest that are actually restorative.

Beware of default mode.

As much as I find cleanliness and organization in my home to be refreshing and calming in their […]