Howdy again, friends, family, fiends, foes, and all you funky folks!

Let’s get to it for a minute or so. Life’s daily grind can feel neverending and relentless, can’t it? Whether it’s work, home, or just juggling everything in turn, that we’ve got going on, the grind (work) doesn’t seem to stop. Heck, even when you do stop to take a breather, the grind is still there, giving you that judgmental side-eye, yelling from the sidelines, “I’ll be waiting.”

But you know what? The grind doesn’t have to beat us to a bloody pulp, then walk on our puddle. Over time, I’ve learned a few tricks for keeping my sanity at least semi-intact and my spirit right. They’re not magic bullets, but they’ve helped me turn the grind into something a little more manageable — and dare I say, occasionally enjoyable. Let me share some of the items, ok?

Step One: Prioritize Like a Pro (Even If You’re Not One)

Let’s face it: you can’t do it all, sorry , all of you A+ personas and your high drives. You can’t be everywhere, help everyone, and tackle every item on that never-ending, ever expanding to-do list. Trust me, I’ve tried. It always ends in tears, no matter how good you think you are!

The trick is figuring out what really matters each day. Here’s my take on it.

• The Top 3 Rule: Each morning, I ask myself, “What are the three to five things I have to get done today?” Once I’ve nailed those down, everything else becomes a bonus round on Jeopardy.
• Learn to Say No: This one’s really tough, especially for us “driven” folks. But saying “no” to what doesn’t serve your goals is saying “yes” to what does. I get sucked into the, “can you help me” thing. I have such a hard time saying no to someone in need, or someone in over their heads. But I am learning, slowly, but after 66 years of just going along, “nos” are getting easier and easier. When I have nothing left in the tank, it’s a pretty good feeling to say no, and get to relax a bit.

Pro tip: Prioritizing isn’t about perfection; it’s about the progress you make, physically and mentally. Get those top few tasks done, and you’ll feel like a rock star — even if everything else stays on the list for later on.

Step Two: Treat Yourself Like You Treat Your Most Favorite People

Let me ask you, would you expect your best friend to work non-stop without a break? Would you tell them to power through exhaustion because “hustle culture” says so? Of course not. So why do we do it to ourselves?

Here’s the deal: Self-care isn’t ever selfish. It’s always for survival and and for me, that means everything as I get older:

• Taking Breaks That Actually Refresh Me: I don’t mean scrolling social media for 20 minutes. I mean getting up, walking around, maybe blasting a favorite classic rock tune (SKY7music.com, anyone?) to reset my brain.
• Fueling the Machine: We’ve all been guilty of living off coffee and vending machine snacks (no judgment here). But when I eat something decent — like actual food — I notice I handle the grind a whole lot better.
• Sleep, Glorious Sleep: This one’s a game-changer, folks. It’s amazing how much smoother the grind feels after a solid night of shut-eye. If I don’t sleep right or enough, man am I useless the next day, may as well put a kickstand on an Abrams tank. Useless.

Step Three: Find Your Mini Wins

Life’s grind has this nasty way of making us focus on what’s not working. Deadlines, mistakes, long lines at the DMV — you name it. But there’s always something going right, even if it’s small. It is easier to go down the negative rabbit hole, I know for a fact. Staying upbeat, energetic and positive is a hard road to hoe, but better in the long haul.

I like to call these “mini wins.” They’re those little moments that remind you life isn’t all bad. For me, it could be:

• Hearing an old favorite song that brings back good memories.
• Nailing the perfect comeback in a conversation (rare, but oh-so-satisfying). (hehehe)
• Crossing something off my to-do list — no matter how small.
• Smelling something that reminds me of a good time or experience. (smell is a big thing for jogging my memory.)

When you stack up those mini wins, the grind starts feeling a little less heavy.

Step Four: Add a Dash of Humor (or more if you can find it)

Ah, humor — my trusty sidekick. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that laughter doesn’t just lighten the mood; it makes the grind a whole lot easier to bear. (Endorphins, folks, winner!)

When things go sideways (and let’s face it, they will), I try to find the funny in the situation. Like that time I spilled coffee on my notes right before going live on the radio. Sure, it was a mess, but it also made for a great story later. I stammered, stuttered, and sweated my way through my shift that day, but the listeners thought it was a hoot… (yeah, I told them what I did)

The lesson? Don’t take life — or yourself — too seriously. A little humor goes a long way in turning grind moments into grin moments.

Step Five: Stay Connected

The grind loves to make us feel isolated, like we’re the only ones struggling. Spoiler alert: we’re not, ever. Everyone’s dealing with their own version of the grind, and staying connected with others can help lighten the load.

Here’s what works for me:

• Reach Out: A quick text, a phone call, or even a comment on someone’s post can remind you that you’re not alone. It can break the negative rabbit-hole cycle too!
• Share Your Wins and Struggles: There’s something cathartic about venting to a trusted friend — or even your blog audience (hi, y’all!).
• Be There for Others: Sometimes, helping someone else with their grind is the best way to forget about your own. Someone else’s problems are always easier, don’t you think?

Step Six: Remember Your Why

When the grind feels unbearable, it’s easy to forget why we’re grinding in the first place. That’s when I pause and ask myself:

• What am I working toward? (goal)
• Why is this important to me? (feeling)
• What will it mean when I achieve it? (future good feeling)

For me, my “why” often ties back to my family, my passion for music, and my desire to leave a positive mark — whether through my radio show, my writing, or just being there for the people I care about.

When you reconnect with your “why,” the grind starts to feel a little more meaningful — and a little less like a treadmill to nowhere.

Step Seven: Celebrate the Snot Out of Progress

We’re so quick to move on to the next thing that we forget to celebrate how far we’ve come. But those small victories? They matter.

• Finished a project at work? Celebrate.
• Hit a personal milestone for walking or working out? Celebrate.
• Got through a tough day without losing your cool? Heck yes, celebrate that too. (BIg one!)

Celebrations don’t have to be big. Sometimes, it’s just taking a moment to say, “I did that.” Trust me, it’s worth it. A fist pump and a “YESSS” works for me.

Final Thoughts For Today

The grind is real, folks. But it doesn’t have to ruin our lives. By prioritizing, practicing a little self-care, finding mini wins, and keeping humor and connection alive, we can tackle the grind with a little more grace — and maybe even a little more joy.

So, how do you deal with the grind? Drop a comment or two and share your tips. Let’s help each other out, one grind-busting strategy at a time.

Dean Benson, “The Dean of Rock & Roll” middays daily!

email me! deanbensonrocks@gmail.com (yes I read and answer)

Dean Benson, “The Dean of Rock & Roll” middays daily!

Also see more of my writing at: https://stan.store/DeanBensonRocks

See my day-job page at: www.deanscarfamily.com