7 Simple Ways I’m Learning to Recharge
Small resets for the days when you’re running on empty.
After writing Heavy Seasons, Honest Hearts, I kept thinking about what comes next.
Not the part where the heaviness suddenly lifts…
Not the part where life becomes easier…
But the space in between — the place where your heart is still tired, your body is running on fumes, and you’re trying to give yourself the grace to keep going.
Some seasons don’t lighten quickly.
Some weeks look like multiple shifts in a row, living off adrenaline and the smorgasbord of half-finished drinks at the nurses’ station. Some days end with you sitting in your driveway because the thought of taking a shower feels like one task too many. It’s the version of tired that sinks into your spirit.
So today’s post is gentler.
It’s a follow-up.
A softer landing after the heaviness.
These are the real, doable things I reach for when my internal battery is flashing red and life doesn’t slow down just because I need a minute. None of these will magically fix a heavy season, but together, they help me feel a little more grounded, a little more human — and sometimes, that’s enough.
1. Five Minutes of Fresh Air (My “Pee and Pray” Break)
There are days in the ER when I don’t have time for anything except the basics — and some days even those feel impossible. But I’ve learned that stepping outside, even for five minutes, changes something inside me.
A few deep breaths.
A whispered prayer.
The warmth (or even the hint) of sunlight on my skin.
Just one moment that reminds me I’m still a person, not a machine.
I call it my “pee and pray” break — not glamorous, not Pinterest-worthy, just real life and a grounding pause stitched together in the middle of chaos.
Sometimes that’s all the reset I get.
But it’s almost always enough to keep going.
2. Eat Something Real (Not Just Nurse-Station Snacks)
I love crackers and chips as much as the next girl, but let’s be honest — that’s not fuel. That’s survival mode.
When my battery is drained, I try to choose one thing that feels like actual nourishment.
Nothing fancy. Nothing meal-prep perfect.
Just real food.
A banana. A yogurt. A sandwich. A bowl of soup.
Something my body recognizes and says, “Oh… thank you.”
It’s amazing how much steadier I feel when I’m not running on caffeine and crumbs.
3. The Long Shower Reset (Bonus Points if it’s an Everything Shower)
There is a special kind of healing that happens in a long, hot shower — especially after multiple shifts in a row.
Some days, it’s the first moment all day where I’m not rushing.
And if I have the time and energy, I make it an everything shower — wash my hair, exfoliate, shave, deep condition. (If you know, you know.)
It’s not vanity; it’s care.
The goal isn’t to perfect yourself.
The goal is to return to yourself.
4. Reconnect With Something That Brings You Joy
When I’m overwhelmed, joy is usually the first thing to slip. Not because I don’t need it — but because I forget I’m allowed to have it.
So lately, I’ve been asking myself one simple question:
“What’s one tiny thing that brings me back to me?”
Not a big commitment.
Not a whole hobby revival.
Just one small spark.
Lighting a candle.
A FaceTime moment with my grands.
Reading for 10 minutes.
Scrolling Pinterest for cozy inspiration.
Stepping outside to watch the sky change colors.
Listening to a song that shifts my mood.
Joy doesn’t have to be loud.
Sometimes it’s the softest sound in the room.
5. Limit the Noise (A Little Less Screen Time, A Lot More Calm)
When I’m drained, scrolling feels like rest — but it rarely is.
The noise. The pressure. The comparison. The constant input.
Lately I’ve been giving myself a simple boundary: less phone, more presence.
Not forever.
Not perfectly.
Just for tonight.
Set it down on the counter.
Walk away from the constant notifications and background buzz of other people’s lives.
Let your mind breathe.
It’s amazing how much lighter things feel when there’s less noise pulling at you from every direction.
6. Let Your Home Meet You Where You Are (Tiny Tidying, Not Big Cleaning)
When I’m running on empty, the mess at home can feel like another demand I don’t have the energy for. Walking into a cluttered space after a chaotic week is its own kind of overwhelm.
So I’ve started practicing a softer approach:
Just pick one thing. Not everything.
Fold one blanket.
Clear one counter.
Start one load of laundry without pressuring yourself to finish it.
Tiny tidying gives me a sense of accomplishment without adding stress — like I’m taking one small step toward calm instead of drowning in a to-do list. It’s not about perfection. It’s about lowering the noise in my space so my spirit can breathe.
7. A Simple Nighttime Routine (The 10-Minute Wind-Down)
Not a whole self-care ritual. Not an elaborate nighttime routine.
Just a small series of steps that tell your nervous system it’s safe to rest after being in fight-or-flight mode all shift long.
A few ideas:
• Wash your face slowly
• Put on cozy pajamas
• Dim the lights
• Stretch for one minute
• Drink a glass of water
• Light a soft candle
• Play calming music
It doesn’t have to be perfect or identical every night.
The ritual is the act of choosing yourself.
This tiny wind-down rhythm signals to your brain:
The day is over. You can let go now.
A Closing Thought
If Heavy Seasons, Honest Hearts was the moment we admitted how heavy things can get,
then Low Battery is the reminder that you’re allowed to care for yourself inside those seasons.
You don’t need a week off or a life reset.
You don’t need a perfect routine.
You don’t need to earn your rest.
You just need small moments of renewal — the ones that tell your body and heart,
“I’m here. I’m listening. I’m trying.”
Some days that’s all we can offer.
Some days that’s all we have.
And some days… that’s exactly enough.
