Monday morning coffee catch up: How was your weekend?

By ROSIE WATERLAND

I know it’s nearly October, but I’ve been feeling lately like I’m going through this year’s equivalent of hump-day. Hump-month, I guess?

I’ve just been going through one of those periods where I can’t remember the last time I stopped to take a breath. You know what I mean: You wake up, there aren’t enough minutes in the day, you get this done, you get that done, you talk to this person, you run that errand, then you jump into bed and before you know it you’re waking up to do the same thing all over again.

Just as an FYI, you should know that the Monday Morning Coffee Catch Up is brought to you by Moccona. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words.

The other day I found myself asking when this day week month year would end. It’s only September I thought?

I realised that I was going through this year’s equivalent of hump-day because it had been weeks since I had taken some me-time.

Yep – definitely time for a little break.

Obviously you can’t just up and head Bora Bora whenever you need some me time, but for me, all I need is something small to recharge my batteries. I figured out a while ago exactly what works for me whenever I get overwhelmed with the week.

I head to the park and I read a book.

It sounds simple, I know. But after much experimenting, I realised that it was the best way for me to get a little me time.

It couldn’t have been anything to do with a screen, because I look at screens all day. It couldn’t have been anything inside, because I’m inside most of the time. It also couldn’t be exercise, because to be honest, I’m just not one of those people who finds exercise relaxing.

Reading in the park was the perfect solution. And now I do it as a mini-escape whenever I feel like I desperately need some me time.

It’s turned into a kind of ritual. I pick a book (at the moment it’s Meshel Laurie’s memoir The Fence-Painting Fortnight of Destiny), grab some sunnies and head to the park. Then I go to my fave spot under a massive tree (that has just enough shade for someone as fair-skinned as yours truly). I take off my shoes and spend a minute just letting my feet feel the grass. Then I sit down, open to whatever page I’m up to and get reading.

It’s heaven.

Sometimes I can only manage half an hour, sometimes, if I’m lucky, a little more. But reading in the park has honestly become kind of essential to me now. To the point where I really notice if I haven’t done it in a while. Like the last few weeks.

If I can’t make it to the park, I’ll at least try to sit and read and for a while. It’s important to let your mind just check out sometimes, even if it is only for 10 or 15 minutes, and reading is such a great way to do that. With all the screens we look at these days, it’s easy to forget that opening an actual book and turning its pages is a thing that even exists anymore.

For me, when I take some time to read a book, the world slows down a little. Just enough to let my head catch up with everything. Just enough to recharge my batteries and stop me feeling so overwhelmed.

It’s the perfect mini-escape when I need some me time.

And there are enough books to keep you going for a life-time.

What do you do to recharge when you desperately need some me time?

Modern life is super-busy. It’s a juggling act. A thousand jobs rolled into one. We know you wouldn’t change it for the world, but wouldn’t it be nice to pause for a little bit of me-time every once in a while.

Moccona is that time out; a little bit of indulgence in an otherwise hectic day. From its smooth, rich taste to its iconic glass jar, Moccona has been a favourite with coffee lovers in Australia for over 50 years. Every jar of Moccona is made from 100% coffee beans and carefully produced to create a premium quality coffee that you’ll love, every time.

Moccona lets coffee lovers enjoy a little more me time, anytime.