If you work in sales or support, you know the importance of empathizing with your customers and leads. You may also be familiar with that fatigued feeling at the end of the day (or sometimes by 9am!) of expending all your empathy on others and having very little left for yourself. Building a simple kit based on the 5 senses will help you recover and prepare for the next interaction before you can calculate the cost of a 2 week trip to Bali.
Why 5 senses?
Our brains solve problems in a very, well, cerebral way. When the brain starts to get fatigued, focusing on our body’s 5 senses provides a brief reprieve and reset. It’s a mindfulness practice that works very well.
How do I use a Self Care kit?
The kit can be used any time, but it’s most useful when you feel overwhelmed, stuck, or unable to think clearly due to stress or emotional upset. At first, it may take awhile to find your center again, even with an elaborate kit. As you gain experience and familiarity with your kit, just holding the box or bag you keep your goodies in may be enough to get you back to feeling well.
When I use my kit, I first darken my monitor after telling my team I’m taking a quick break. Then, I take a drink of water, a big breath, and tell myself I’m taking a break. Then I look at my pictures, listen to something pleasant, snuggle my cat, and chew some gum, drink tea, or eat a small piece of candy I’ve saved. If I need a bit more time, I go for a brisk walk around the block or neighborhood.
While it can seem difficult to take a break, you’ll soon find that 5-10 minutes away can save hours of stress in the day. And if you need more time? Take it! But using your kit to calm down a bit at first will help you make a decision about how much time you need with more clarity.
What do I gather?
What you put in your box or kit is entirely up to you. It can be as large and extravagant or as simple as you like. Your office set up, personality, budget, and mobility will all help determine what your box looks like. The important thing to remember is that a self care kit isn’t static. You can change it any time, adding or removing things as you learn what works for you, or as you use up consumables in your box. Use the 5 senses as your framework, and you’ll always be ready for the tough days.
Need some ideas? Use the suggestions below as a spark for your own inspiration.
Note: You do not need all the senses covered! It’s fine to focus on your most soothing senses, or the ones that are most strong for you. However, I do recommend aiming for having several options, regardless of what you focus on. Gum might be perfect one day, while tea is where its at next week. You never know and it’s hard to predict.
Sight
- Cute pictures
- Family pictures
- Favorite vacation spots
- Your favorite art
- Fresh flowers on your desk
- Mini art supplies
Smell
- Fresh flowers can do double duty with sight
- An orange, chocolate, or your favorite tea can meet the taste need too
- Scented stickers. Remember scratch n’ sniff from your childhood? They still exist!
- Your favorite perfume or essential oil
- Candles if you can have them in your location
Sound
- Music-- create your own custom playlist!
- Soothing nature sounds
- A small bell or musical instrument
- Small music box
- A place where you can sit and listen to something different--music, birds, children playing, etc
Taste
- Chewing gum
- Fresh fruit
- Coffee or tea
- Chocolate
- Flavored lip balm
- Hard candies
Touch
- Small stuffed animal
- Textured fidgets--you can generally find these in education stores
- Lotion
- Squeezable stress ball
- Hot or cold packs--can be found where you buy first aid supplies
Do you already use something like this? Tell us about it! I’d also love to hear any ideas you come up with. Feel free to share images and notes with us by tagging @olark on social media!
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