Regrouping after Grouping

Complete this thought: "I wish an alarm would notify me whenever..."

"I wish an alarm would notify me whenever..." I am about to experience social fatigue.

Sometimes I can anticipate--based on my schedule, the activity, or the group--whether I am going to be energized or exhausted after social interaction. I know that there are times when I have to set aside time during the day--or maybe even a whole day--to regroup after being in a group. So, an alarm might help to alert me.

In some ways, I already have an internal warning system signaling a potential meltdown if I don't take time to slow down or find the nearest exit. I can usually prepare myself for not-such-a-good thing. Yet, I don't always listen to myself or see the danger of too-much-of-a-good-thing. As an introvert, I need to give myself the well-deserved favor of setting aside time to regroup. Here's one example.

After two busy weekdays, I had an unpredictably busy weekend. I managed to get many things done, but I didn't get done what I hoped to complete for myself. Then, Monday was a holiday. I felt dread when I considered I might not get my Monday-list done. At that point, what I needed was "a Monday" to start off the week well. Instead of giving up on the notion, I enjoyed lunch with my family and convinced myself to do chores later in the day. This was also important because I needed to help my middle son build a visual resume. We were able to get the bathrooms cleaned, and I took pictures of him doing his part. I managed to get some bonus pictures of him doing laundry and folding towels. That motivated me to show him how to use the new vacuum.

I usually journal in the morning, but 3:00 pm was my moment. Out of that came this blog entry. The headache pounding in my head all weekend substantially reduced. So, resetting isn't always about sitting down. Sometimes it means getting busy.

But, I've done that. Now, I think I will give myself another well-deserved favor and finish my Audible book while knitting.