Making Hectic Times Temporary and Intentional
In general, we all could slow down and take better care of ourselves. However, there may be times when we intentionally dig deep, even if only for a short time. Maybe we have an event, or it’s tax season, or multiple things happen unexpectedly, and we simply acknowledge that it's just going to be a little crazy for a while. This, too, shall pass.
It’s always important to make choices based on our priorities and to pace ourselves, but also to intentionally decide to just buckle up, focus, and get shit done.
Bringing busy times back into your life after a period of rest is about bringing back balance. When you’re good at it, we can choose to turn the gas on and off — the key is that we're doing it mindfully.
When should we embrace busy-ness?
And how can we do it in a way that ensures we'll recover?
This past week was the inspiration for this topic, because I was working out of town, training a military team in Dare to Lead. I also had eventful weekends on both ends of the week. On top of that, I came down with laryngitis, so I was not feeling my best.
The first question I asked myself was “What can I cancel?” I have the ability to work really hard and get a lot of things done, but I was feeling like I had about 75% capacity. I had lots of ideas about things I wanted to do and places I wanted to visit while I was away, but I let go of my plans and narrowed my agenda down to only the things that needed to get done.
Next, I prioritized my health. I planned mealtimes and rest. I ate at places nearby and even ordered in one night. I typically like to make time away from home like an adventure, but conserving energy became more important this week.
Then, I thought about making things as easy as possible for myself. Instead of waiting in line for the morning snacks and coffee that I bring to workshops, I learned how to order ahead. This saved me at least 30 minutes a day of waiting in line. I also thought about how I normally like to teach my workshops and adjusted the activities so participants could talk more. I found videos on some of the topics, so I could save my voice for the things I needed to tell them in real time.
I asked for help, delegated tasks, and put others in charge. For someone who likes to be in control and talk a lot, this wasn't easy for me. However, I loved how much people were jumping in and leading conversations. There are even some things I tried that I will continue to do in the future!
The universe gave me an opportunity to learn something new, and I’m glad I didn’t waste it. In the past, I would not have adjusted anything. I would have pushed myself too hard, have carried on as usual, and probably wouldn’t have done a good job. I also would have very likely burned myself out and would have had to take an even longer recovery. Instead, I felt like I cared for myself, I protected myself as the asset in my life and business, and I made it through.
I came home tired, but proud that I did it. And finally, I rested. I have a light week ahead of me, and I’m not doing more than I absolutely have to. I’m not sure how long it will take, but I will take it easy until I get my energy back.
I know I need to focus on my well-being, adjust my expectations, and plan for a recovery period.
Many people (myself included) in the past would push hard, exhaust themselves, and then wonder what was wrong when they had no energy to do anything. On top of that, for many of us, pushing hard became a lifestyle, and we would beat ourselves up when we crashed, and would be left wondering why life didn’t feel fun.
Now I’ve realized that busy periods need to be temporary, intentional, and accompanied by a period of rest. None of us knows what life will throw at us, so living at a slower pace generally gives us the breathing room to manage both intentional and unexpected busy periods and recover from them!
Here’s a book I recommend, by my friend Carl Honore: In Praise of Slowness: How A Worldwide Movement Is Challenging the Cult of Speed
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