As I headed into the 4th of July long holiday weekend, I was struggling to come up with a storyline for my Occupational Wellness blog. Working remotely has admittedly been a struggle for me on many levels, and attempting to conjure up wellness prose amplified my current state of unwellness. I love my job, the people I work with, and the company I work for, but the chaos and day-to-day unknowns that have emerged due to the COVID-19 pandemic have created what I am going to call a personal struggle with occupational unwellness.

As I closed down my “home office,” a.k.a. a dark corner of my dining room on Thursday, July 2nd, I decided I would take on a proactive wellness mission over the long weekend. I organized my desk area, made a thorough Monday morning “To Do” list, and secured a couple of wellness post-it notes to my computer screen (e.g., smile, stand up). I then took a simple personal inventory and set my intentions for the weekend intending to return to the office on Monday, feeling a little less unwell.

Below is my photoblog of my wellness-focused 4th of July weekend:

Spiritual

I made time for some much-needed meditation.

 Screen capture of Headspace application

Environmental

I intentionally changed my environment, from “corner office” to my favorite room in the house—the front porch…

…and traveled to my best friend’s woodsy home and spent time poolside (with Barack O’llama).

 View of Terri's porch

View from Terri's Front Yard

View of Terri's friend's pool

Intellectual

I broke out a puzzle I’ve had on a shelf since February!

 Puzzle sitting on a table

Emotional

I discovered a new mantra (and believed it)…

…and spent time just recharging with some unconditional love.

 Aquarius Mantra

Terri sitting with Charlotte

Financial

I stimulated the local economy with a trip to my favorite small business.

 Storefront of Lea's Shop

Social

I enjoyed the company of friends, and several belly laughs at a poolside movie night.

 Poolside movie night with social distanced lawn chairs

Physical

I hit my sleep goals (maybe not high quality, but the length of time)…

…and participated in some aqua therapy.

 View from Terri's Front Yard

View from Terri's Front Yard

And so, by Monday morning, I can honestly say that I felt restored and much more equipped to face the chaotic work week that I knew was coming my way. If you are feeling unwell as well, I encourage you to take a quick personal inventory, and even if it something you can’t directly change, like your job, or a global pandemic, focus on the dimensions of wellness you can influence. You’ll be surprised by the changes you’ll experience.