Some might have noticed that I didn’t get a blog out last Thursday. (And I am kind of giddy saying that I actually really missed that opportunity to connect! I really did!) But here’s what happened…
I have been known to be a bit of a full steam ahead kinda gal. I tend to get determined and just keep going…. ignoring sleep sometimes, rearranging social schedules sometimes, and also ignoring that itsy bitsy tinge of a sore throat that seems to be coming on.
In my head I say – I don’t have time for that nonsense and if I just keep on going it’ll go away. Mind over matter, mission over mood, head speak over body speak.
Well, eventually your body will self-correct you, like it or not! 
And I did not like! What started as an annoying cold has blossomed into bronchitis. I have been bed bound for almost a week. I had NO idea one could sleep so much… or hack so much! I truly sounded like I had an awful case of consumption! And I sure wasn’t a fan of the imposed quarantine.
Why is all this talk of being awfully sick a blog post? Well because I was reminded, rather forcefully, that we need to STOP and take care of ourselves… often in spite of ourselves.
Luckily I really do love what I do, so it often doesn’t mentally feel like work, but physically it can still be taxing. And often our minds aren’t on the same vibe as our body. As one is spinning up faster and faster the other is getting more and more exhausted.
So learn from my misguided attempt at productivity. Here are some tips:
- Take breaks every now and again, especially while working at a computer. The days leading up to getting ill I was sitting down for 6, 8, 10+ hours just plugging away. Get up and away from that monitor. Move your body. Even if it is a quick walk around the block, or stopping to do a chore such as running a load of laundry, or just getting up from your desk and taking a few moments to look out the window. Your body and your brain need a break from running at 150 miles an hour constantly.
- Plan for sleep. I know this one sounds silly, but if it is too quiet I can’t really sleep. I end up continuing to think about what I was working on earlier. Play music as you fall asleep, or relaxing sounds. Something that may distract your brain long enough to shut down for a bit. Your ideas will be better for it. A fresh approach to thinking about a solution or a project really can bring new ideas to the forefront.
- Make time for social interaction. I am a solopreneur so my office staff is me, myself and I. I can get so lost in my own head thinking about projects, churning potential ideas, etc. Take a break from thinking about it. Go have some stimulating conversation that doesn’t relate to what you are working on. Or if you are just so engulfed in your project, talk to a friend about your ideas. A different perspective can shed new innovative light on your work.
- Fill your calendar with the actual block of time you work and also include social events. This may seem silly, but time moves so differently when I am engrossed in work. Soon, I look over my calendar and see that I haven’t been social in days! Another thing to do is add a color code (it is called Categorize in Outlook) to work time and social time. Seeing huge blocks of one color is an easy indicator that you may need to break it up some.
We can always think that we can win 100% of the time over our bodies. But the truth is I got sick because my body needed a break. I was not providing a healthy enough break for it and it FORCED me to take a break. And invest in plenty of juice and cough lozenges!
Realize that we don’t always really do what is best for us. And a great side effect of this forced down time is I actually had some quiet time to reflect on my work. I didn’t have the stamina to think about it all the time, but the little bits between naps were actually really helpful. I was stopped long enough to review and not be caught up in the inertia of the work itself.
So try as you may to forge ahead at 150 miles an hour for days, you WILL get stopped. Don’t let it get to that point. Allow your body to catch up to your brain. Nourish your physical being to keep it operating at an optimum level. I don’t think nature wants to pull rank on you, but it will if you are too neglectful. Luckily this bout of sickness wasn’t too bad, and I’ll be back up and running again soon. But it sure served as a great reminder to be mindful of my whole being.
I had to double check while I was reading this blog because it seemed that I was writing. I am guilty of pushing myself beyond what I should at times although I am better at letting go than I used to be. It is also interesting as I was reading your blog that for some reason right before that, I seemed to have a headache & my stomach did not feel good (I very, very seldom have headaches or tummy problems). I had gotten up from my computer, drank some relaxing Aloe and taken a short walk outdoors. I’m feeling some better now but am going to take some down time. A couple days ago I was serving on a grand jury. We heard 14 different cases and I believe that all but 2 of the attorney’s presenting were sick with cold type symptoms. They all handled the papers they handed out to us so everyone in that closed up room were exposed to their germs. I’m praying that is not the reason for feeling down as I’m writing this.. maybe it is time for me to relax. I had been stressed because I was having some technical difficulties posting my blog in a timely manner. Thanks for sharing… and listening. Stay healthy.
It is hard to protect your health especially in this current cold/flu season. Sounds like you have some great ways to relax and alleviate stress (walking, drinking a soothing drink…). Way to go. I am not convinced we can eradicate all stress, but we can learn ways to control its influence on us. Not always easy, but the goal is to keep trying! 🙂
Oh yeah… agree with you. I’ve been working on cut-off times from the computer for a bit and I must say I’m weaning myself pretty well! Tee-hee… Balance, I tell myself. It’s all about being in balance. 🙂
It can be surprisingly hard to peel yourself away from the computer. But you are right Norma, it’s about balance. That’s the goal!
Prevention is always better than cure. There’s always so much more to life than work. We’re here to also enjoy the hard work that we do, balance is key. Thank you for sharing this and for the inspiration.
You are welcome Lorii! Balance is the key! And maintaining a system to stay that way! 🙂
Without balance, nothing works for me. I’ve learned to schedule rest and recreation, sometimes at the expense of business, but it’s one of the tools I use to maintain a positive outlook. If I don’t attend carefully to this, it’s easy to fall into burnout. Thanks for the reminder.
Sounds like you have a good system in place Shari! Funny how sometimes we need to “schedule in” fun and recreation, but you are right – it is so necessary to maintain balance.
That is absolutely sound advice. Our bodies were designed by God to rest from all our hard work. Time we start listening
Absolutely agree Veronica! We (meaning our conscious mind) don’t always know what’s best – our bodies are divinely engineered and they will win a lot of the time! 🙂
Excellent advice Lynn, I follow these tips most of the time, though I do ‘fall off the wagon’ from time to time. The biggest tip for me was “make time for social interaction” when I left the corporate world in 2005 to launch my Virtual Assistant practice it was a big adjustment switching from a large company to a home based office, with just our cat for company during the day. I quickly joined a local Chamber of Commerce, it proved to be a great move as much for my business as for socializing.
I did the same thing Jackie. Now I chair a council at our local Chamber. I quickly missed the interaction and chat with office-mates. Expanding our social network leads to great opportunity for that needed break!
I and I’m sure many others don’t think of what we do as work, which does mean falling into a trap. Fortunately I learned balance and do all the tips you listed even tough I’d love to sit in front of my computer or in front of my beading table. Just the other night I told my son, ‘I’m taking 1 hour out of my work day to go to the gym”. He was very pleased. I watch 1 or 2 tv shows each evening, make dinner dates with friends, get 6-8 hours nightly sleep. How am I doing?
You are doing fantastic Roz! I can imagine how easy it is to lose track of time sitting at your beading table. Sometimes I get going working on something I really enjoy and don’t even realize it’s suddenly 1 in the morning!
It is good that you recognize now the need to listen to your body. I learned that very important lesson years ago burning the candle at both ends with not enough sleep and exercise. Major crash!
Inevitably a major crash Terri! I used to be a chronic burner of the candle at ALL ends. This bout of the creepy crud has served as a good reminder for me!
Good article and advice. My husband got the flu last week for the 2nd time in 2 months. This one is really a bad bug. Definitely when we go great guns and forget to rest, we will be brought to a halt! Take care of yourself.
Thank you Diana. I am so grateful that I did not catch the flu bug. I have heard it is just so terrible this year. I hope your husband is on the mend! Here’s to resting when needed and avoiding future bugs!
One thing you might want to do is hire a VA. Even if only for a few hours a week at first. I find, in my coaching with solopreneurs, that the sooner I can get them to outsource, the more energy they have. It is easy to get run down when you are trying to wear all the hats yourself. Just something to think about . . .
Absolutely Martha! It is definitely something to think about. I am getting there! 🙂
I always say take a break and if you get burned out, take a vacation..
I love this idea! 🙂