If you’re an East Coaster like me, you may have experienced a power failure during the recent Hurricane Irene. We sure did – 70 hours without power – and boy was it disruptive! I felt so lost without access to my email, calendar, and to-do list.

Tub time by lantern light – with the last of the hot water.

I joked with Rich that I was going through the “four stages of powerlessness”.

This phenomena begins with novelty (“get the candles, this is kinda fun!”)  and quickly moves toward annoyance (“run to the store for more ice, again”) and finally comes to rest on panic (“I must have a thousand emails by now!”).

Peace and Quiet

Wait, that’s only three stages.

Yes – somewhere in there, living alongside the minor annoyances of life without power and before the anxiety, there was actual Peace and Quiet. No emails to check. No phone numbers or Facebook. No RSS news feeds to catch up on – or perhaps more accurately, no guilt for not reading them.

Instead, I pulled out a can of paint and got to work on the master bathroom while my daughter took a nap. A restful, repetitive task.

With the power failure, I got a 3-day free pass from the stress of trying to “do it all” and the guilt of falling short.

Balancing Act

Naturally, the power is restored, and I still have to call the insurance company to make a claim for the damage caused by the storm. Complete forms for my son’s new school. Wrap and mail baby gifts. Refill ink cartridges. Life is full.

But I want to hold on to that feeling of peace and calm. That there is time for what matters, if you can maintain boundaries around it.

Relax with Music Online

Protecting boundaries requires good habits and consistent effort. Sometimes, even the littlest things make a difference.

The next time you’re working online, promote some serenity by visiting one of my favorite sites for free, relaxing music and sounds. You might be amazed at what a little birdsong in the background can do for your stress level.

For one-click satisfaction, visit Rainy Mood for the calming sounds of rain and soft thunder. I love listening to this, rain or shine.

For more choices, make your own custom background music from Sound Sleeping. Choose from comforting sounds like flute song, bonfire, ocean, wind chimes, and more. You can combine up to five sounds, and adjust each channel’s volume independently.

My favorite is “Bird Song” combined with “Creek”. These sounds are so soothing. Use them as background music like I do, or as sleep aids. The site also offers tips for promoting restful sleep.

Enjoy!