US Tax Day 2020 is CANCELED. Let's make it #RelaxDay2020 instead.As most of you know, April 15 is typically a day associated with stress, angst, anxiety and frustration in American culture. Since 1955, it has been officially denoted as Tax Day.Except for this year -- for obvious reasons given our current situation, the US government has mercifully pushed the filing deadline out to July. Unfortunately that did not do much to remove the stress, angst, anxiety and frustration that most of us are feeling right now.In many ways, with the continued worries about getting sick, the social distancing, the schedules disrupted, a global economy slowdown, adjustment to working from home and home schooling, this may be the most stressful April 15 ever. So I say let's take this MFer back. This Wednesday, April 15 does NOT have to be filled with the typical stress we feel on that day. That's because April 15, 2020 is not your typical day and these are not typical times.This Wednesday, and I am dead serious about this Friends, I am calling on all of you to make what was supposed to be Tax Day, RELAX Day instead.To be clear, I'm not suggesting we make it a world wide day for blowing off work, sleeping in or sitting on the couch binge watching Netflix original movies (and yes, Tiger King is a completely messed up 6 hour train wreck you will forever regret watching).No, instead I'd like to make April 15 a day for exploring mindfulness, proactively setting some time aside to reconnect with ourselves, and for promoting the importance of self care. How do we do that?Here are just a few ideas:SCHEDULE at least 15-30 minutes that morning, midday, that afternoon AND evening for some sort of uninterrupted mindful activity.Do not click on any story with "coronavirus," "quarantine" or "COVID-19" in the headline.Limit yourself to maybe 1 or 2 critical business Zoom meetings that day -- THAT IS IT.Stay off ALL social media for the entire day.Ignore any thoughts that come CLOSE to being politically orientedThink about and write down everything for which you are GRATEFUL.Find and take an online yoga class.Download a few mindfulness apps on your phone -- and pledge to regularly use them for at least 1 solid week.Try simple mindful breathing exercises.Pledge to go the entire day without passing judgement on ANYONE -- especially yourself.PUT THE PHONE DOWN.This is totally doable. We all must lead by example by taking charge of our own well being -- why not give the proverbial mindful finger to a day we all usually hate and make it something positive?Many of you are senior people at your companies and/or investors -- you can easily use this as an opportunity to promote this within your ranks and amongst your sphere of influence. It is up to you. I guarantee you that the long lasting ROI on your time and efforts will be significant if you do.So pass this along -- Tax Day is CANCELED this year. April 15 is now Relax Day. And if you do post anything on social media around this idea that day, make sure you tag it #RelaxDay2020.You are definitely going to want to check out the Steak-umm article in the Last Word this week....and one last favor: if you can please click on and follow "Friends of Dave" on LinkedIn. Not sure if it will add anything to your experience but I am trying something new there.....Happy Easter to those celebrating this Sunday. Be well everyone!XOXODave
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Friends of Dave #172: april 15 is "relax day"
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US Tax Day 2020 is CANCELED. Let's make it #RelaxDay2020 instead.As most of you know, April 15 is typically a day associated with stress, angst, anxiety and frustration in American culture. Since 1955, it has been officially denoted as Tax Day.Except for this year -- for obvious reasons given our current situation, the US government has mercifully pushed the filing deadline out to July. Unfortunately that did not do much to remove the stress, angst, anxiety and frustration that most of us are feeling right now.In many ways, with the continued worries about getting sick, the social distancing, the schedules disrupted, a global economy slowdown, adjustment to working from home and home schooling, this may be the most stressful April 15 ever. So I say let's take this MFer back. This Wednesday, April 15 does NOT have to be filled with the typical stress we feel on that day. That's because April 15, 2020 is not your typical day and these are not typical times.This Wednesday, and I am dead serious about this Friends, I am calling on all of you to make what was supposed to be Tax Day, RELAX Day instead.To be clear, I'm not suggesting we make it a world wide day for blowing off work, sleeping in or sitting on the couch binge watching Netflix original movies (and yes, Tiger King is a completely messed up 6 hour train wreck you will forever regret watching).No, instead I'd like to make April 15 a day for exploring mindfulness, proactively setting some time aside to reconnect with ourselves, and for promoting the importance of self care. How do we do that?Here are just a few ideas:SCHEDULE at least 15-30 minutes that morning, midday, that afternoon AND evening for some sort of uninterrupted mindful activity.Do not click on any story with "coronavirus," "quarantine" or "COVID-19" in the headline.Limit yourself to maybe 1 or 2 critical business Zoom meetings that day -- THAT IS IT.Stay off ALL social media for the entire day.Ignore any thoughts that come CLOSE to being politically orientedThink about and write down everything for which you are GRATEFUL.Find and take an online yoga class.Download a few mindfulness apps on your phone -- and pledge to regularly use them for at least 1 solid week.Try simple mindful breathing exercises.Pledge to go the entire day without passing judgement on ANYONE -- especially yourself.PUT THE PHONE DOWN.This is totally doable. We all must lead by example by taking charge of our own well being -- why not give the proverbial mindful finger to a day we all usually hate and make it something positive?Many of you are senior people at your companies and/or investors -- you can easily use this as an opportunity to promote this within your ranks and amongst your sphere of influence. It is up to you. I guarantee you that the long lasting ROI on your time and efforts will be significant if you do.So pass this along -- Tax Day is CANCELED this year. April 15 is now Relax Day. And if you do post anything on social media around this idea that day, make sure you tag it #RelaxDay2020.You are definitely going to want to check out the Steak-umm article in the Last Word this week....and one last favor: if you can please click on and follow "Friends of Dave" on LinkedIn. Not sure if it will add anything to your experience but I am trying something new there.....Happy Easter to those celebrating this Sunday. Be well everyone!XOXODave