The Art of the Game Face (and Taking It Off)

Special thanks once again to rojie for today’s prompt. if you haven’t done so already, definitely check out her blog justrojie.com.

How do you decompress after a busy day/holiday?

The older I get, the more I think about the necessity to decompress. It’s not just a nice idea—it’s a daily requirement.

In my job as a teacher, I talk a lot about putting on my “game face.” Before step one of the school day, there’s a moment where I have to prep myself to get into character. I’m stepping into teacher mode, which is a very specific headspace. It’s a big reason why I like getting to work early. I refuse to just slide into the building right as the kids walk into my first-hour class. I need that transition buffer. I need to turn the lights on, boot up the computers, get the coffee going, and put SiriusXM on low in the background. It’s a quiet boundary line between Rob the 52-year-old guy and Rob, the teacher.

When I taught in Detroit, I had a built-in 30-minute drive home every afternoon to decompress, strip off the armor, and shift back into my regular face. These days, my commute is less than 10 minutes. That buffer is basically gone, which means I have to be deliberate about creating a hard break the moment I step through the front door at home.

That need for a daily transition adds up over time. My schedule right now makes for early mornings and heavy days—juggling what needs to be done at home before heading out the door, long before most people are even up. By mid-afternoon, downtime isn’t a luxury; it’s the gas that keeps the engine running.

And naturally, that philosophy extends into weekends and vacations. A standard two-day weekend is my sweet spot. Three or four days off, and I start getting a little too comfortable, making that transition back into “game face” mode even harder.

When it comes to actual travel, I take the exact same approach: the end of a trip shouldn’t feel like an exhaustion test. I get the desire to hit every tourist spot in sight, but there’s a fine line where an itinerary turns into a job. Vacations are supposed to be enjoyed, not survived.

That’s why I’m a huge advocate for blank-slate days. Wake up without an agenda. See where the afternoon takes you, or just veg out in the room. And if you don’t get to see every single sight in Paris on your first visit? Good. That just gives you a reason to go back.

Rebuilding a life takes grit, consistency, and a lot of ‘Option C’ thinking. Having crossed the 1,000-day milestone, I’m now charting the territory beyond. The mission remains the same: No glitz. Just the work. New to the blog? Start your journey here to see the blueprint and the ‘Tricorder’ perspective behind the rebuild.

Today’s post is inspired by the WordPress Daily Prompt. While I’ve taken the topic in my own direction for the Road beyond 1,000 Days, you can find more responses to today’s prompt HERE.

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The article “The Art of the Game Face (and Taking It Off)” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob

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