How to Recover from Overload

I’ve officially rolled into August feeling burnt out.July was filled with a few too many 16 hour days, working weekends, and a severe lack of sleep. 

While my working habits over the last month aren’t ideal, I know that having real work life balance is all about give and take and the ability to regroup and prioritize when things get out of control. 

Balance is about dealing with the ebb and flow of life in a way that supports you and having the awareness to adjust when things get off track. 

work life balance

So, now, with a new month and a fresh start at my fingertips, I’m focused on nurturing myself more in the midst of the chaos I’m just starting to wrap my head around.

Here’s what I’m doing to create more balance and recover from overload this month.

Get Away

Completely disconnecting, even if only for a few hours, is crucial to balance.  When I’m in the thralls of work-overload,  unplugging is just about the last thing imaginable, but it’s incredible what an afternoon sitting in the park, an escape to a yoga class, or hiding out in a movie theater  can do for your piece of mind.  Really want to up your game?  Escape with your guy for a weekend away (and don’t even think about taking work with you!)

Reconnect

Another key to balance is knowing where your priorities truly lie.  Spend some time journaling or meditating on what’s important to you and ways that you can squeeze that stuff in even when life gets hectic.  No clue where to start with identifying your priorities?  That’s what my complimentary Discovery Sessions are for.  Book one now.

Detox & Refresh

When work hours get long and we fall out of our normal routines, one of the first things to inevitably fall off track is how we fuel our bodies.  It means making the pizza delivery guy your new BFF, indulging in a few beers too many to take the edge off, and sometimes not eating at all. 

Get your body back in tip top shape in a flash with a quick little detox. I started off with the 3 Day Refresh coupled with some daily PiYo and am feeling lighter, fresher, and more clear headed.

Get Support

Why, why, why is it so hard to ask for help?  I’ll admit, I have an “I can do it” attitude and I often don’t realize I need help until I’m already in over my head.  What do you foresee as an issue this month and who can you enlist to help you through it?

I’m getting ahead of this month’s hiccups by bringing on the help I need early: my husband is helping with dinners & laundry, I’m including a housecleaner in my monthly budget, and I’m growing my team to include an assistant to help me stay on track.

When you’re recovering from a crazy time, what do you do to get back on track?

Take a Vacation Without Going Anywhere

It’s the Fourth of July – a day when most of us get the opportunity to kick back, relax, and celebrate our independence. This got me thinking... about independence, about vacations, and about giving ourselves a BREAK.

take a vacation alaska cruise

Did you know that a 2012 report commissioned by Expedia.com indicates that most employees take even LESS time off than they are allotted through their company?   Worse still, 28% of those polled said they didn’t take vacation for work-related reasons.  And for those lucky ones who actually did get some time off?  34% of them reported checking work email regularly or constantly while on vacation (note: I have definitely been one of the 34%).

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am ALL for having a career you love and putting your best feet forward, but you have to balance hard work with downtime.  Your body needs time to recuperate, regenerate, and refresh in order for you to be the best employee possible. 

take a vacation sunset beach philippines

Let’s think about this another way.  In ten years, will your company say, “Wow, we’re so happy Ms. X didn’t take that weeklong vacation to Peru.  This place would have just CRUMBLED.”  Nope, they won’t.But in ten years, you’ll say “I wish I’d taken that trip to Peru when I’d had the chance.”  You never know what obligations you’ll have THEN.

That all being said, maybe you just can’t take a real vacation this year.  That’s OK. 

VACATION IS A STATE OF MIND.

You can take a vacation any where, any time. 

Here are three suggestions for taking a vacation without (really) going anywhere.

Take a Media Break

We are all absolutely BOMBARDED every hour of every day with information – whether from TV, radio, online news sources, or social media – it can be hard to escape.  I challenge you to UNPLUG for just ONE DAY.  It’s amazing how relaxed you’ll feel.

Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

Whether you live in the big city or a small town, chances are there are parts of your area that you’ve never seen.  Spend a day exploring where you live.

This could mean hiking a new trail, walking through a new neighborhood, going on a guided tour, or checking out a new restaurant.  Notice that keyword ‘new’ here – the trick is to do something DIFFERENT than you normally do.

Give Yourself the Spa Treatment

 Can’t afford a fancy spa weekend?  Instead, spread out spa-like appointments over the course of a week.

Go to a yoga class on Monday, get a mani/pedi on Tuesday, get your hair done on Wednesday, visit a juice bar on Thursday, and treat yourself to a massage on Friday.  Enjoy the spa aspect of each day for what each individually gives to you.  If even this is a stretch for you, take just a couple hours at home and give yourself the spa treatment there.  Take a bubble bath, paint your toes, put on a face mask – whatever it is you enjoy doing... Just do it.

I, myself, won’t have the opportunity to take a ‘real’ vacation this year, but I will definitely be implementing all three of these strategies to take me to that vacation mindset. 

What about you?  What can you do to enjoy a vacation without going anywhere?  Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Red Light, Green Light

Why You Need Both Sleep and Exercise for Optimal Brain Health Opposites attract.  And in this case increased sleep and increased exercise, seeming polar opposites, can help keep you in your cognitive prime.

8 hrs Sleep + 30 min Exercise = A Sharp, Young Brain

Catching Zzzz’s

Ever wake up from a great night of sleep and feel on top of the world?  There’s a reason for that. 

During sleep, neurons in your brain regenerate and help to keep your brain functioning optimally.  Too little or too much sleep and signs of cognitive decline can be exhibited – you can notice this immediately day-to-day but this also effects you long term.  So what's optimal? Six to eight hours… and here’s the important part: Consistently.  (aka every night, even weekends!)

Make it a habit.  Unplug (the internet will be there tomorrow, I promise!) and get to bed on time.  It’ll not only keep you alert and engaged now, but will keep your brain functioning at a high level for years to come.

Feeling the Burn

Several recent studies indicate that increased physical activity also plays a role in supporting optimal brain function as we age.  Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week was enough to shave off years of cognitive decline in test subjects.  Further, the activities and intensity seemed to matter less than the total calories burned.  So, get moving!

The reason for the linkage between brain health and exercise is still unknown, but don’t let that stop you.  Walk instead of drive, make a point to get up from your desk every hour, join a challenge group, or go to the gym.

What keeps you more focused - sleep or exercise?