- Dec 26, 2021

My Christmas at Glebe

Dark, cold nights and welcoming bright lights!

This was my first Christmas at Glebe House. I had a wonderful sense of joy - the journey through the villages to get to work seemed almost pitch black, so the bright colours of the outside lights at Glebe felt safely comforting. We all enjoyed Secret Santa, sang carols, shared delicious food and lots of laughter. I think I allowed myself two days to relax and unwind before thinking about work (properly) again.

Finding time to decompress and relax is so important. It's a well-known fact that when embarking on a rigorous exercise routine, resting is as important as the exercise. A recent Ted-Talk claimed that when you 'day-dream' you allow your brain to relax and this enables better cognitive functioning. Problems that seemed unsolvable suddenly make sense. I wondered, during an average day, did I allow myself the apparent luxury of day-dreaming? Of course not! That would seem lazy, or inefficient, or might appear (to some) as if I didn't have anything to do!

So today, during a particularly busy morning of checking documents for our new website, just when it seemed as if I might not get everything done, I made the brave decision to day-dream. I made myself a cup of Rooibos tea (other decaffeinated drinks are available) and stood by the window. I looked out onto fields, and grey sky and cleared my mind. When I finally sat down at my desk, I felt pretty good. Lucky. Not everyone has the luxury of peace. Not everyone can afford to just down tools during a work day - even for a ten-minute break. To feel peace, and gratitude was humbling. And, re-invigorating. Needless to say, I flew through my documents and - dare I say it, I found myself ahead of schedule.

So, I will remember to take a break. I will remember to enjoy the peace. I will try to day-dream. And I will enjoy every moment!