I am in Atlanta in my hotel room working. My mind is coming up with 100 reasons to go shopping – Christmas is coming, I need fall clothes, maybe the Lulu Lemon here has different stuff than at home, etc. But I have to get a project finished by Monday, so it’s me, my laptop and an endless cup of green tea!
I’m here with my daughter. She signed with a multi-national company to be part of a new program. She is only 15… I am so proud of her! She has worked so hard for 7 years in her sport, never once complaining or asking for a break.
It makes me think of how we all work so hard. And many times how we work ourselves into a state of burnout.
I see so many people who are burned out. Many of them don’t even know they are. They just keep pushing and pushing. They are tired, void of passion and running on empty.
I am studying for a new certification in Resilience Coaching. The number one topic in every class is how we replenish our energy to avoid burnout.
We seem to always focus on managing time. We want to get more done, multi task, work longer hours and try to fit more in to our already crazy lives.
What if managing time was not the answer at all?
Time is finite. Energy is renewable. The key to being productive and avoiding burn out is managing your energy.
How much sleep do you get per night?
How is your diet?
Do you exercise?
Do you work through lunch or take breaks?
How much water do you drink?
How do you unwind at the end of the day?
Do you have any bad habits?
How do you cope with stress?
We are not just on this earth to survive. We are here to thrive and to enjoy our lives. If we are not thriving, we need to take a good look at what isn’t working and start making some changes.
Many of us take better care of our pets than we do ourselves. We make sure they are fed the best food, we take them for walks, give them love and attention. But then we run ourselves ragged and have nothing left at the end of the day.
We operate like a car. We need maintenance to perform at our best. If we don’t receive the maintenance we need, we stop working. We crash.
If you ever feel overwhelmed, exhausted, anxious or depleted, it’s time to take inventory of your life.
Just make a few simple tweaks in your routine, your diet and your lifestyle and you will have more energy, be more productive and actually enjoy each and every day.
You may say that you don’t have the time. When you renew your energy, you will be more efficient with the time you have. You will feel better. And you know that when you feel good, good things happen.
Before I sat down to work this morning, I felt refreshed by my 8 hours of sleep last night. As soon as I woke up, I exercised at the hotel gym then found the nearest juice bar and got my juices, breakfast and kale salad for lunch. I did not have wine with dinner (everyone else did) because I knew I had to be in a highly productive state today.
Believe me, if I did not need to work today, I would have had a couple of drinks last night and possibly gone to bed a little later than usual. It’s all about balance. I have 2 days every weekend when I can be flexible. The other 5 days I stick to my schedule. You can enjoy your life without guilt if you have a balanced, consistent routine.
All you have to do is decide that you are going to create a new lifestyle. One that allows you to take care of your own needs, feel productive and energetic, and help you handle the tough days with grace and ease. And one that allows you to relax and have fun!
I have seen too many people with stress-related illnesses. Stress and worry won’t change anything. It just makes everything harder. And it destroys our health.
Watching the tragic events unfold in Paris, I am present to how precious life is. In one second, everything can change.
You only have one life. You are only promised this moment. Make it count.
Take care of yourself, so you can enjoy this one precious life and be a blessing to others.
