Super quick today. Just wanted to share something simple, grounding, and a little bit super-nerdy today.
Fun fact: there’s a neuroscience reason a snow day feels like instant relief.
When responsibilities suddenly disappear (no commute, no meetings, no packed schedule), your nervous system gets a signal of safety. Pressure drops. Cortisol drops.
Your brain experiences what researchers call cognitive offloading — fewer decisions, fewer demands, less vigilance.
It’s more than laziness. (Though it is for sure also delightful laziness.) It’s regulation.
Add in the novelty factor (this wasn’t planned), and your brain gets a tiny dopamine hit too. Surprise + permission to slow down = emotional exhale.
This is why:
• Snow days feel magical as kids
• Sick days feel oddly cozy
• Cancelled plans (even plans you were looking forward to) can feel like unexpected relief
• “Nothing on the calendar” feels better than “I cleared my calendar”
It’s relief from responsibility, even temporarily.
And that relief is a powerful system reset.
Even if you’re “not doing anything,” your brain is still doing something important.
Unstructured pauses like this don’t just feel good in the moment — they create lasting benefits. Here are 5:
• Your stress hormones recalibrate instead of staying stuck on high alert
• Your brain restores decision-making energy (re: prefrontal cortex, mental fatigue actually drops)
• Creativity increases because the default mode network turns back on
• Emotional regulation improves because your nervous system practices safety
• Perspective widens when you’re not trapped in task mode
This is why breakthroughs often come in the shower.
Why clarity comes on walks.
Why rest makes tomorrow easier, not harder.
So if today is slower, quieter, or emptier than usual, don’t rush to fill it.
What if this pause is doing more for you than another to-do list ever could?
Idleness isn’t wasted time. It’s biological maintenance. And then from a regulated state, you can decide what you want your next action to be.
Snow days aren’t just interruptions — they’re investments in your nervous system and in the version of you that can make the most impact.
xoxo, -Katie
P.S. I’ll get back to my optimism series soon. But when I sat down to write it this week, my body just went, “oof.”
Up Next:
This Friday, January 30th: Live Improv Comedy Show at Mother's Brewing, Springfield, MO. I'll be doing an improvised musical, my most favorite!
Tuesday, February 10th: Zoom Live Group Coaching inside the Habit Lab. If you've been wanting to join, but not sure when, jumping in for a live call, is a great option! Join the lab (new lower price! $9 or $79!) and jump in! The February theme will be super simplified Meal Planning and I'm giving away my formula for no-brainer prep.
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“Regulation comes before motivation. Nervous system first. Action second.”