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Just Hang On

  • May 8, 2014 8:15 AM EDT

    Have you ever had a week, or a series of weeks, where your schedule was so packed full - that you had to keep moving between events - with no time to even think or pause long enough to consider how it got this way?


    I am in the second week of such a schedule - with 4 days left - jam packed with commitments.  I have stopped long enough, however, to figure out "who did this to me?"  Me. Why did I think it was a good idea to have only one day off a week, for two weeks in a row, and then schedule that one day with activities that had to be done? How did this happen?


    You may understand this situation ... another clinic was shorthanded so I offered to pick up a few extra days.  Who hasn’t offered to fill in when needed to help out another person (who needed to be off)? So how do you survive a schedule that gives little or no time for rest or recovery? How do you get through it? I had time to prepare. I cooked ahead and froze healthy meals. I still make time for exercise even if it is a 15 minute walk. I hold myself to shutting down my brain and computer by a set time at night. I find I need some decompression time before going to sleep, so my brain can wind down from a busy schedule.


    The good things that come from a busy schedule:

    • I get absolutely clear on what is important or critical to get done
    • It becomes easy to say no to anything extra
    • I have asked for help more often
    • I hold my sleep time as essential
    • I resolve to not allow this packed schedule to happen again


    What have you done to hang on when your schedule gets crazy? Do you recognize when you have too much going? How much time do you have to just do nothing? If you have something scheduled for every minute of the day- it might be time to take a step back and readjust.


    "Just hang on" is a good motto for survival weeks. I prefer to have a daily motto that reflects a healthy balance of work, fun and play. What can you do to hold your schedule to one that reflects and provides for what you need in life?  Try blocking out time that is dedicated just for you. Amazing things happen when you carve out and maintain open space for your own life to unfold.

     

    • 149 posts
    May 9, 2014 11:54 AM EDT

    Why Your Brain Needs More Downtime from Scientific American (October 15, 2013):  Research on naps, meditation, nature walks and the habits of exceptional artists and athletes reveals how mental breaks increase productivity, replenish attention, solidify memories and encourage creativity.

     

  • May 10, 2014 8:32 AM EDT

    That quiet time is a necessary contrast to a very busy day - filled with people, noise, decisions and continuous activity. Even the most extroverted personality benefits and appreciates the space to let the mind just wander. Those of us who are introverts need and crave the quiet space to reenergize. Thanks for bringing up the research behind the quest for giving ourselves the gift of quiet spaces.