I take the long way home on purpose

Lately I've been taking the long way home on purpose. Not a big detour — one extra block, or the park path instead of the main road. Five minutes, that's all.

I started doing it during a heavy stretch at work, when I kept carrying the whole day straight through the front door. That little bit of unhurried walking gives the day somewhere to settle. I notice the trees, the dogs, the kids riding their bikes. And by the time I turn my key in the lock, the version of me that walks in is a little softer than the one who left that morning.

If your evenings slam into your workdays with no buffer in between, try adding one on purpose. It's small, and it works.

What's your version of the long way home?