It's been a rough week, but in some ways things are starting to look up. I'm doing a slightly better job saying "no" at work, and have managed to scale back my hours slightly. Granted, things are still not where I'd like them to be, but this week has been a vast improvement over the last couple months where my balance has been seriously out of wack for reasons that are neither interesting nor justifiable. The end of summer always presents a certain amount of added stress, as back to school preparations are already underway. The number of emails I've been receiving from school several weeks out already borders on unconscionable. Being informed, engaged, supportive, and available are all good and necessary things. However, there is such a thing as too much communication. On the topic of small healthy habits, my evening routine has been great lately. I've managed to regularly walk around 2.5 miles outdoors as a way to create some space between work and home. I spend some time sitting on the screen porch, reading until the sun sets, which as been just lovely. I am currently reading Catastrophe Ethics, and so far have gotten a lot out of it. I'm about 60% done and will write about it in more detail once I finish. Reading outside as twilight approaches is such a relaxing experience. The light changes, the outdoor sounds change, and it creates an ambiance that is perfect for starting to wind down. Finally, I wrap up my evening by writing a bit and posting here! Each of the things I mentioned above is really small, but in aggregate they are adding up to a real contribution towards improved mental health. Outside of work I am not a super results-oriented person - I generally have an easier time focusing on small incremental changes, and try not to fixate on results - but I will admit that in this area the quick benefits I am seeing are more than welcome. ~nullish