Let's Talk with Sarah K Peck

Does self-discipline work? Sometimes yes, but lately for me, and especially during the pandemic, it's not cutting it. Hustle culture, burnout, and heaping more "discipline" on top of me like an overactive bootcamp coach isn't getting me to do any of the things I want to do. Here's what's working for me instead.

If you're ever stuck or waffling in a decision, here's a phrase and a short-hand that I love that helps remind me to take action: "Try it and see." It's something I use when I don't know whether or not to do something. (It doesn't work in ALL instances, but it certainly helps when I'm stuck.)

How do you get out of a rut? When you're stuck at home, with children or without your brain (or BOTH), how do you get back into a groove and find your way? This episode is for anyone that feels anxious, stressed out, overwhelmed, or unable to complete a to-do list. I'm taking the view that it's time to learn and adapt to our situation, and figure out the best strategies for us as individuals and how we get through this. For me, some quick wins for getting out of a rut include: Taking a shower (or just washing my face). Brushing my teeth. Short stints of exercise—like five minutes or less, or even one downward facing dog. Journaling. Reading a book until I feel clear again. Calling a friend, or texting a friend. Small cues, like a scented candle or perfume. In this episode, I'll talk about how to get started again even if the day is bananas, and how to get started on a project, crappily, if it's been a while since you've made anything. In short? Creativity is a huge boon, and if you can pick something super small and do it four times, you'll feel better soon. If you want to leave a voice note response to this episode, go to anchor.fm/sarahkpeck and leave a note. Or you can comment on the blog post at sarahkpeck.com/lets-talk-11 and let me know what YOU do to get out of a rut.

I don't know about you, but I'm finding it mighty hard to even get started in the morning. I know these last episodes have all been about finding patterns and rituals amidst the madness, and it's for a reason—finding my new normal (or a sense of it) is all I feel like I can do right now. Lately the strangest thing has been happening: I'm finding myself drawn towards social media, and wanting to connect more. So every morning, I've been sharing a small snippet of my morning routine on my Facebook page, and it's turned into my virtual coffee shop. Listen in for how it all works, and why it's helping me so much right now.

Making sense of days that make no sense requires new patterns, habits, and routines. For me, trying to muddle through the cacophony of work and children and non-stop days at home is very, very challenging to my brain. So, to help, I’ve been building small rituals into the day to start to cue myself that yes, work is happening now, and yes, it’s a new day. Some of my favorite “cues” are things that happen every day at the same time, that have a sensory component to them, and that remind me of something familiar. For this reason, perfume, coffee, candles, and lipstick all help remind me that yes, I’m a human, and yes, I might be able to do a little bit of stuff today.

Every morning lately, I’ve been posting a selfie to my Facebook page and my Instagram page. Right now it feels like going to the coffee shop—I get to pop in, say good morning to people all around the world, check-in with my neighbors and parents and friends, and then start the day. In any other moment of my life, I would not have said that going on social media first thing would help me be more productive, but right now is not a normal time. So, from my quarantined home in New York City, I’ve found a new way to say hello to people in the morning, and it’s making my day so much better. These tiny habits are anchoring my day and creating a structure that’s incredibly helpful. In this episode, I’ll share a few more tiny habits I’m using to anchor me throughout this. Plus, I would love to hear what you are up to! What tiny rituals or habits are getting you through these strange times? Go leave a note on my blog at sarahkpeck.com

As we all adjust to the uncertainty and sudden shifts of what’s happening around the world with the global COVID-19 pandemic, I wanted to share a few small rituals that we’ve used in our household to find a moment of normalcy in our lives. Yes, most of our life is chaos, and much of it is very different than it was a few weeks ago. Also, one of the hardest parts of all of this is the not knowing: not knowing when things will change or what the next few weeks and months will bring. In times of uncertainty, it’s useful—and supportive—to create small moments of ritual and stability, both for ourselves and for the people around us. Here in New York City, my husband and I are leaning on a small ritual practice we usually do each night before bed. Right before we go to bed, we ask three questions: What was the best part of your day? What are you grateful for? What are you looking forward to in our family? In this episode, I share a few of the rituals we use and how it can serve as an anchor to help you make sense of an otherwise upside-down day. For all of you out there, consider creating small rituals that will help you get through your new normal. They don’t have to be perfect, and they don’t have to be forever. Also, pick a couple of things that you have on your calendar to look forward to. Having a moment, an event, or a reason to stay positive and hopeful is also an excellent strategy. However—as I explain on the podcast—don’t go too hog wild with it. Creating unreasonable expectations can set us up for disappointment, so, if you’re a leader in your field, make sure to pick things to look forward to that you can be confident will come to pass. Leaders can do a disservice to the people around them by telling false stories about the future, but having something to anchor your hopes to, even if it’s small, can help boost morale during challenging times. Whether it’s for you, your family, or your company, create small rituals that help you get through your new normal. Pick a few things to look forward to, even if they are small—just make sure they are within your control and not subject to wild external forces.

During times of stress, everyone responds differently. Some of us laugh, some of us go into denial, some of us get agitated, some of us panic, some of us get to work. If you’re feeling a bit all over the place, I want to talk about how stress affects each of us differently and why these reactions are coming up. As you start to see how we each respond to stress, you can also start to see how the weird ways your coworkers and partners are reacting might actually be a perfectly normal response… it’s just different than how you respond to stress. This podcast episode is another brief(ish) episode recorded from our studio in New York City during the March 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. At the time of this recording, my family and I are in self-isolation in New York City and we have not left the apartment in 14 days. It’s been interesting, to say the least! You will hear noises of my children in the background, and yes, there are times when I completely lose my train of thought. This is the new normal right now, and I’m right there alongside all of you. If you’re feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, fatigued, panicked, irritated, inspired, or like you need to crack inappropriate jokes, you’re not alone. Feelings are big right now and get magnified during times of stress.

For many of us, the last week has been somewhat chaotic and mad—maybe more than the last week. This episode was recorded on Saturday, March 21st 2020 in New York City in the midst of the coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemic happening around the world. But that’s not the focus of the episode—the point of this short moment is to breathe, together. I’ll walk you through one of my favorite practices that I use when I’m tired, anxious, or stressed. It’s a pattern of breath called 4-7-8, shared by Dr. Andrew Weil, that can help reduce stress, tension, and anxiety. Don’t forget to exhale through all of this. If you’re tired, scared, stressed, overworked, or feeling all the feelings, this episode is for every one of us. It’s a short method to help catch your breath, tap into your body, and exhale away some of the tension. Please note: if you’re currently pregnant or think you might be, be mindful to do the breath work without the retention (holding), and tune into your body as you do it to see how it feels for you.

The coming few weeks are going to be tough. Potentially tougher than what we can imagine. Here's a short list of things I journaled to myself — reminders for how to stay sane in the coming weeks and months.

On Wednesday this past week, my husband and I started feeling sick. The boys were both snotty, and we’d been watching the news—way too much, but you know. It’s hard to peel your eyes away. On Thursday we decided to keep everyone home, out of the abundance of caution. Each day felt like a whirlwind: what was ridiculous on Wednesday seemed normal by Friday, and on Saturday we were home and thinking about keeping the boys out of school for at least two weeks. On Saturday morning I got out my podcasting gear and decided to share why we were staying home and everything I was doing to prepare for coronavirus.

As Seth Godin would say, "This might not work." I can make zero promises about whether this podcast will last, if it will work, and whether or not I'll wake my children up while trying to record. I'm currently making this from a corner of my apartment while in quarantine with two children and a husband in New York City. Here's a look at what life looks like right now.

I have a microphone, a computer, and an urge to talk to all of you. If you hear small children in the background, it's because... there are small children in the background. But first, let me introduce you to the podcast, let's say hi, and I'll give you a preview of what's coming up.