Learning When to Rest and Not When to Quit!
Do you feel burnt out? Exhausted? Like you’re a gas gauge on Empty? There’s a few reasons for this and I will tell you what I have tried, what has worked, and why it is so important to take care of yourself.
Burn out happens when you’ve used more resources than you have to accomplish your goals. So typically this looks like: you’ve used more energy than you have to get work done. Now it takes twice as long to bounce back to normal energy because you’ve depleted it. Sometimes you get irritable, sometimes you get depressed, and sometimes you just become a zombie. Burn out is a real thing and it affects more than 23% of Americans at any given time.
The Moon- Try to deny it all you want but that big bright ball of light has an affect on our body and mind. (also the word lunatic derives from the latin word which translates to moon-sick) So maybe it is really moon madness. This week well..Friday to Friday we are experiencing Last Quarter on the 23rd and a New Moon on the 30th. - Last Quarter - Think release, letting go, cleansing, and forgiveness. From the 23rd to the 29th I would practice writing down things you’d like to let go of or forgive. It is also a great time to take those crystals outside and let them cleanse in the moonlight. Pay special attention to the baggage you are carrying with you and see if you can release it.
- New Moon - When the sun and moon are on the same side of the earth. A lot of people think of a new moon as a fresh start. I like to refer to the new moon as a retreat or a time to recharge and take back your energy. Maybe give yourself more alone time to
be able to do some deeper thinking.
Not resting - I am guilty of this so I am just going to come straight out and say it. I sometimes, a lot of the time, don’t know exactly when it is time to stop. I wake up at 6:30am and sometimes don’t stop pushing myself until 10pm. I will put 50 things on a to-do list and try to power through them all until I am mentally and physically exhausted. I don’t pace myself. I am assuming I am not the only one. My nana has told me when I was a kid I always acted like had a “job” to do.
Luckily I am not going to just leave you in the dark on this one to fend for yourself if this applies to you too. I have an awesome technique for how to pace your work and make sure that you have devoted time to rest and work. The Pomodoro Technique: Work for 25 minutes; 5 minute break; 25 minutes; 5 minute break; 25 minutes; 5 minute break; 25 minutes; 20-30 minute break. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. This gives your body a chance to step away. Go grab a water. Walk around. Stare at something other than a screen. Then jump back in. Grab this app to help you achieve.
No self-care - This is probably the single most important thing that you implement in your life if you want to live long and prosper. You need to take care of yourself. Imagine that taking care of yourself is like taking care of a small child. You need to eat healthy, drink water, get exercise, and rest. This should be a routine in your day or at least in your week to make sure that you have ample amount of time to relax and reset.
So how do you handle burn out once you’re already there? You rest. There are two factors at play in burnout. One is the rate of depletion. The other is the rate of renewal. Usually when you’re in the world of burn out your rate of depletion is higher than that of renewal.
The How-to DIY part of this is going to be different for everyone. I like to rest and reset by watching bad comedies in bed. I know that might not seem like the yogic way to handle things but it’s what makes me feel recharged. I usually take a nap in between watching and I will take the day to eat healthy and be kind to my body. I’ll make sure my self-care is on point that day. The day after a recharge day I tend to feel a lot better, even sometimes extra creative. Those recharge days are just as important as your deep working days because they allow your body and mind to do what it needs.
Rest. You don’t have to give up on what you’re working on because you’re tired, but you do need to rest in between. Here are some other ways that are great for self-care and resting:
-Going for a walk
-Meditation
-Cooking
-Swimming
-Journaling
-Doing things you enjoy
-Taking a bubble bath
-Gardening
-Cleaning
-Sleeping
-Say no to others
-Hang out with your pets
-Take care of yourself by getting organized
-Reading
And anything else that makes you happy rather than leading to a sense of achievement.
When you take care of yourself you are also taking care of those that are around you as well. It is important to recharge your batteries. You wouldn’t let your phone drain, your car run out of gas, or your computer battery to die, would you? No! So don’t do it to yourself. When your batteries run completely out it takes longer to recharge them rather than putting a plan into place before that happens. Self-care is really important to me. I see it’s effects on those around me every day. I am grateful that I teach yoga and see people coming in to take care of themselves.
See you on and off the mat yogis!