#69 How To Relax, Recharge, & Manage Schoolwork Efficiently

Sep 23, 2024

Pausing purposefully in the middle of your work to breathe, walk around the block, if you’re working from home, maybe you’re emptying the dishwasher or folding the laundry, or maybe stopping to do absolutely nothing refreshes your mind, increases energy levels, and reduces stress. It helps to lessen any overwhelm.

It took most of my life, it took illness after illness to suffer through before I finally got the message from my body that the more I mindlessly plowed through my work, the more energy I exerted without replenishing it, the more my body retaliated and my productivity declined, which is why today I’m sharing 3 approaches to help you and your family relax, recharge, & manage schoolwork efficiently for greater productivity.

You’re probably wondering, “How am I expected to relax and recharge at the same time? They’re polar opposites. Relaxation. Amping up the energy. What is she talking about?”

Several methods help you relax and unwind while also revitalizing your energy levels. To do them simultaneously, I’m inviting you to try the following 3 approaches:

3 Approaches I'm Inviting You To Try

#1 - Step Away from your work

When you start to feel your brain hurting or an unsettling in your system because your body wants to move or break free, stop what you’re doing and walk away. I call this taking a purposeful pause.

One of the simplest ways that bring my entire being back to center is walking barefoot outside. I LOVE BEING BAREFOOT. Direct contact with the earth, whether it’s the grass, the driveway, or just standing on my front porch helps reduce my stress levels and immediately increases my vitality. It’s a grounding process. Some people call it “earthing.” I just call it “walking barefoot on the grass.”

These purposeful pauses are a good time to reward yourself with a little fun. Just be sure you put a time limit on the fun because remember, you’re just stepping away from the work here, you’re not shutting it down. Returning to it more relaxed and recharged is the goal here. The goal is to have greater productivity while working more efficiently. So, returning is a must.

#2 - Eat Well & Stay Hydrated

Whether you want to hear this or not, our diets influence our overall well-being. If you or your child is not sleeping well. If there are issues attending to tasks for any length of time, if you’re experiencing mood swings, meltdowns, or brain fog, look to your diet.

I know this is hard to hear, because I had to hear the very same message, and it has made ALL THE DIFFERENT FOR ME.

Eating well directly impacts physical health, mental well-being, and overall quality of life.

Fueling your body with nutritious foods that provide sustained energy throughout the day will make an incredible impact on your efficiency and productivity. It will help your body to relax by feeding your cells what they need. It will help you work more efficiently, by boosting your cognitive function, it will enhance the neuroplasticity of the brain, and support your brain’s energy. You know I’m a big fan of the brain and its inner workings and what that means for learners. It’s an amazing organ and without it, we cease to exist. Treat it well and it will respond in kind.

Limit caffeine & refined sugars, they’re only going to cause your energy to crash anyway. Teachers see this day in and day out with kids who are not able to attend to tasks for even the shortest amount of time.

I believe, and there’s certainly enough scientific evidence to support this, but I’m going solely on my 25 years of experience working with children of all ages, those kids whose diets consist of processed foods and refined sugars can have their worlds turned upside down with the simplest shift in what they eat.

You are what you eat, there’s no way around it, and the benefits of eating well include:

Enhanced Physical Health
Improved Mental Clarity
Increased Energy Levels
Better Digestion
Optimal Weight Management
Long-term Wellness
Healthy Skin and Hair

#3 - Connect with others

Connection provides emotional support and boosts your mood. It offers a range of benefits like emotional support, increased longevity, and stress reduction. Connecting with those you care about provides a source of comfort and reassurance, helping to reduce stress and anxiety. It strengthens emotional resilience and can help prevent feelings of loneliness and depression. It fosters a sense of belonging and purpose and contributes to overall happiness and feelings of satisfaction. And my most favorite, it encourages self-improvement and learning through shared experiences and different perspectives. Plain and simple, connecting with others enriches your life and supports both your emotional and physical health.

So what does this all have to do with working more efficiently for greater productivity?

Incorporating these 3 practices into your workflow can help you to be more relaxed and energized, at the same time, which ultimately enhances your efficiency and productivity.

So to recap:

3 approaches to help you and your family relax, recharge, & manage schoolwork efficiently for greater productivity:

#1 - Step Away!

#2 - Eat Well & Stay Hydrated.

#3 - Connect with others.

These approaches work well for everyone in the family! They translate seamlessly to whatever anyone in the family is working on. Everyone, even the person in the house who thinks their role or job is the most important. Guess what, they need this the most. They need to start integrating these 3 simple and sustainable strategies into their day to operate at their highest potential and support their health and wellness.

Which approach do you already have nailed down? Which ones will be the most challenging for you? Let me know in the comments or you can always

DM me on my Instagram page @jenncaputo to let me know, and follow for more!

Remember, it’s not about being perfect; it’s about being easy with the practice. xo