Let me tell you! This past week turned into one heck of an extra-ordinary busy
week!
You know the kind of week I’m talking about. It begins innocently enough with a few scheduled meetings and appointments. Then out of nowhere, up pops a new project with a short deadline, followed by an extra-long phone call from a friend and there's that unexpected, but oh-so-interesting podcast that sucked up all my time! Poof! Where did the days go?
Blame it on all that extra “stuff” that can transform a well-planned week into a blur of pencil scribbling and exclamation points!
It used to be so easy
You know the kind of week I’m talking about. It begins innocently enough with a few scheduled meetings and appointments. Then out of nowhere, up pops a new project with a short deadline, followed by an extra-long phone call from a friend and there's that unexpected, but oh-so-interesting podcast that sucked up all my time! Poof! Where did the days go?
Blame it on all that extra “stuff” that can transform a well-planned week into a blur of pencil scribbling and exclamation points!
It used to be so easy
What I find frustrating is that not so long ago, during my working years, having an extra-busy week wouldn’t even faze me. Bring it on! I'd say. Hey, why not add a microwave
on the fritz and two days of constant snow - - just for excitement. Or, I’d
think Tight deadlines? I can just move
faster and multi-task!
But now that I live with ALS, moving quicker is not an
option, neither is multi-tasking. My body has only one speed. What I
think is 'throttle wide-open' probably resembles the speed of a turtle! Buttons don’t button-up and seems like whenever I’m in a rush Murphy’s Law takes over. Pencils roll off
table-tops and computers seem to take f-o-r-e-v-e-r just to fire up.
That’s the kind of a week that would make anyone throw in
the towel and holler, I give up!
But, I didn't give up
Looking back, I accomplished everything I originally set
out to do plus all the extras - - without feeling frazzled or frayed. Why?
Because I relied on four key habits of resilience; key habits that I use everyday to help me cope and survive the occasional attack of “the small stuff.”
4 habits that you can use
4 habits that you can use
1. Feed your body well
For many of us, times of stress call for bags of chips
and diet Coke - - we feel sorry for
ourselves and turn to junk food for instant gratification and reward. But the real reward your body needs is nutritional
support and adequate hydration. Studies show that a good chunk of “fuzzy
thinking” is simply a result of being borderline dehydrated. So don’t skimp or
skip meals and do drink your liquids.
2. Move your body
Who has time to
exercise when life is raining buckets of stress? You do! Remember, below
your brain is a physical body; a body that needs to release tension and endure
hours of sitting, not moving and no stimulation. When you have no time for your
regular exercise routine (you do have a
regular routine, don’t you?) don’t give it up. Instead, break up your
original exercise time into small chunks throughout the day. Here’s an example
of what I do:
- Upon first waking up, I spend five minutes stretching and reaching in all directions.
- Later in the day, I'll take several five minute breaks to stand and walk laps around the house.
- One of the breaks includes chair exercises (for ideas, try my simple “Move-Along” videos).
- Before going to bed I’ll let my body wind down with a simple routine based on circles (wrists, shoulders, waist, ankles…you get it, just keep circling).
3. Get a good night’s sleep
A few days of
busy-ness is no excuse to disrupt your normal sleep cycle. Your body and mind
need the sleep to relax, recover and rejuvenate. Encourage your mind to relax
with a hot shower or bath, gentle stretches and a break from T.V., tablets and
phones. Once lights are out, practice some deep diaphragmatic breathing which
sends a signal to your central nervous system (blood pressure, heart rate,
muscle tension, etc.) to slow down and relax. Rather than lay awake in the dark
rehashing worries try this: focus on recognizing three good things that
happened to you - - today. See them in your mind, replay them and identify the
feelings each gives you: such as pride, happiness, joy, or pleasure. Research
shows that this one evening mental exercise if even practiced for just three
weeks has a positive impact on our attitude and reduces stress.
4. Keep your emotions in check
One of our biggest challenges during busy days is staying
focused and avoiding distractions. Usually the distractions are from our own negative self-talk. What if everything goes wrong? What if I don’t get there on time? Why
did I say, Yes? …and on, and on and on. This is the time to practice “being in the moment” and paying attention.
I focus on one thing at a time and once it’s over or accomplished - - I let it go. I move my mind onto the next thing, focus on it and then let it go. I try to be methodical and calm. In fact, I’ve often noticed that my calmness influenced others around me to slow down as well; which creates a much better atmosphere for all of us!
I focus on one thing at a time and once it’s over or accomplished - - I let it go. I move my mind onto the next thing, focus on it and then let it go. I try to be methodical and calm. In fact, I’ve often noticed that my calmness influenced others around me to slow down as well; which creates a much better atmosphere for all of us!
Four key strategies help me stay resilient.
Nutrition -- Exercise - - Sleep - - Attitude
I encourage you to incorporate these into your life now so the next time you
find yourself in the middle of busyness and stress you too can say, Bring it on!
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| Dagmar Munn ALS and Wellness Blogger |
Don’t sweat
the small stuff...
and it’s all small stuff!
Richard Carlson
Email recipients use this link: To go to this blog online.
I look forward to every word you say!! Thank you a million times for sharing ...
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