by Brittany Chaffee

In the middle of the week, perhaps a Tuesday, I crawled out of a to-do list stupor and texted my younger sister: Do you ever feel so stressed that you don’t feel like you’re inside of your own body?

To which she perfectly responded: YES… like you’re zinging? I don’t have any other word to properly describe it.

She was right. I was zinging. I operated at such a high rate, I was all electricity and light; finishing projects blindly before I could absorb anything I was actually doing. And when I finally came out of my zinging realm, I looked up into the fluorescent lights of my office and couldn’t figure out who I was anymore, or the last time I drank anything besides watered-down cold press.

Zinging (verb): the act of overworking oneself to such a degree, we sometimes stop breathing, can’t hold a proper conversation, and upon coming out of this overwhelmed spectrum, we often lose creativity and a sense of self.

I know this may sound dramatic, but in the world of technology and cell phones, it’s easy to find ourselves in a swarm of zing. Notifications pop up in our earbuds and periphery constantly. The professional space has sped up because of our constant urge to be connected. Behind team meetings and screens, our sense of empathy has vanished slightly.

There’s a lot more we need to do to fix this aside from a single blog post, but I do know how we can take the first step. And it starts with play.

Why? Routine is too habitual, and can deter us from success. A lot of people are going through big “return to work” transitions right now. And as we come to terms with the pandemic “ramping down,” I think we’ve discovered how comfortable we’ve become with the mundane routine. My routine was so strapped during the pandemic, I could easily predict exactly what I’d be doing every minute of every day. Now, as we try to grasp the normal, I’m back to that zinging feeling again—and need to find a way to escape.

I love this quote from Annie Dilliard—it inspired my desire to access more recreation in my work: "A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time." What happens when we become too comfortable in the net of catching days?

There isn't a perfect daily routine. And I want to explore the ways we can shake it up—if only to reach outside of the zing and become closer to ourselves. Play makes our days more useful and pleasant. It proves we understand the worth of our own time-scaffolding, and our adult life can be closer to our youth than we think.

1. Go on a walk and write a sentence for each block.

In a poetry class I took long ago, someone asked how to beat writer’s block. She said to go on a walk and bring a notepad. Every block, stop and write down what you see or start a fictional story.

2. Write someone a letter.

Get in the habit of purchasing pretty stationary and nice pens. Then, when you need a break at your desk, write someone a personalized letter. You could send a sweet note to your grandma, or a “thank you” to someone you recently met at a networking event. Either way, writing on paper will make you feel scrappy in a non-techy way—and sending these notes will make you feel connected.

3. Every day, take a moment to write down why you’re amazing.

I know this sounds cheesy, but personal gratitude can give you a break from swirling imposter syndrome and remind you you’re human. Leave a small section in your planner to do this and be sure not to think about it too much. It can be as simple as writing “I took the time to drink water today.” Sometimes, simple is clearer.

4. Buy a poetry book from a used bookstore, keep it at your desk, and read a poem every day right before lunch.

Who knows, this may inspire you to try something new! Perhaps a sentence will make something click creatively in your work. Either way, taking a moment to absorb the world around you will pull you away from the daily grind and center yourself. I suggest starting with A Year With Rumi.

5. Meditate.

Set a timer for 10 minutes. Turn Noisli or Headspace—two apps ideal for taking a moment to be quiet—and shut the heck up for a little bit. I won’t judge you if you do this while you’re on the toilet (if that’s the only time you feel like you can step away). It’s incredible where our brains can go when we stop looking at our phones, answering questions, and being distracted.

6. Take a nature walk with your camera.

Pretend you’re in preschool all over again. Go outside with a goal of taking 3-5 photos of something that strikes you in nature. That’s it. That’s the assignment.

7. Draw a quick cartoon about your state of mind or how you feel.

After you draw it, tear it up and throw it in the garbage. This is for you only (unless you’re an artist and it turns out to be a New Yorker-level masterpiece). This will likely make you laugh, and help you understand how you identify that day.

8. Make a playlist of songs that make you feel motivated. Take a few minutes to listen to it every day and dance.

I recently did this by accident. I ended up in my kitchen with my headphones, and danced it out while making a crappy lunch. It felt awkward and weird, but also self-fulfilling. When I was done, I was able to laugh at myself a little bit.

Above all, try all of these things with rebellious abandon. That’s what we did when we were kids—forged forward in our imaginative adventures, with no questions asked. Try that here, in every moment you make time for play.

I promise, it will be worth the zinging break.

Brittany Chaffee is a writer and author living in St. Paul, Minnesota. On the daily, you can find her working in marketing. On the nightly, she enjoys reading, concerts, going on long walks and horseback riding. Her writing has been seen in the Star Tribune, Artful Living, Girlboss, City Pages, Wit & Delight and Make Minnesota. Her two books, “Wild Morning” and “Borderline” are available via her website. Follow her on Instagram @BrittanyChaffee.