–Let your hair down. For me, that’s literal. When I work, I tend to put my hair up. Taking my hair down reminds me that it’s time to relax.

–Move outside your routine. A couple days ago I did something for a friend. It was a very small thing. But it reminded me that I am not just the work — I can do things outside of survival mode. Little things, to be sure, I don’t have brain or energy to do more. Every little bit helps.

–Wear comfortable cloths. I got into this habit about 6 weeks ago of always wearing nice shirts and jeans, always dressing up to some extent. Yesterday I put on sweatpants. And a sweatshirt. It was such a relief.

–Respect the breaks. I have software that reminds me to take a break every 55 minutes. Though I may feel as though I have too much to do, taking breaks will actually help me work better.

–Treat yourself. No, really. Have that glass of wine. Go for the walk around the block. Play that game of Sudoku. Small indulgences go a long way to relieve my stress.

–Don’t worry about the weight. Seriously. Yes, I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been. I can carry it until the end of the month, and then get rid of it. I will make it priority then. Promise.

–Praise yourself. Not just for the end result, but for the effort. Hard work can be a reward in and of itself.

–Prioritize. Feeling guilty about things that are not important is not helping anyone. Doing the things I’ve promised, putting them at the top of the list, is.

–Play with the kitty. She makes you laugh. And laughing is good.