You’re on the early bird list

In the past few weeks, I’ve been looking at where I push too hard instead of leaning in and listening for an inspired action or simply resting. For most of us, we’ve been conditioned to push through, grit your teeth, and get it done. Pushing gives us a false sense of urgency and scarcity. It increases stress and highlights symptoms of burnout.

I’m not really sure when I started to side-step fun for more work or speed past joy to check one more thing off my ‘To Do’ list. I suspect it was a gradual thing. With all of the stress of the past year, so many of us are feeling it in so many ways. Energetically I could feel the drain and knew it was time to take some action.

So many of us are working and schooling from home. The lines between ‘on’ and ‘off’ become blurred at a time when we need them to be clearly defined. Being mindful of what hat you’re wearing and why you’re wearing it can help mitigate the ‘on’ time from creeping into your ‘off’ time. Research shows that burnout occurs more quickly when you don’t have time to rest and fill your cup.

Simple routines to begin and end your day or each major segment of the day act as a signal to your nervous system to slow down or kick into gear. Simple is the keyword here. Opening the day/segment by using a special mug, taking a moment to set an intention for the day, or writing down your top 3 tasks signals what hat you’re wearing. At the end of the day/segment (I admit this is harder for me), taking a moment to do some stretches, write down a done list or tomorrow’s top 3, or doing a short manta acknowledging the day is done will help close the day and close off the energy of the workday.

Our culture is one of hurry, hurry, hurry. It’s easy to buy into the more is better mentality, but that doesn’t serve us. When I was working in management, I told my staff that if there are unrealistic expectations, speak up. Otherwise, everyone is set up to fail.  Often the invisible tasks that need to be done – prep work, research, adjustments to the plan, coordinating with others, dropped zoom calls – are not factored into the time equation.

When you layer on the energy of uncertainty, distrust, and tension that’s in the collective consciousness, you have a constant strain on your energetic, nervous, and emotional systems. This creates a sharp increase in stress and subsequently burnout….not just from work but from life in general.. During times of stress doing more is the opposite of what we need.

Less is More

It’s hard to speak up and say an expectation is unrealistic. It’s important to do it anyway, both with others and with yourself.  Identifying the invisible tasks to others is one way to lighten the expectations. Look inside of yourself to see where you’re being unrealistic with yourself. What are the things you’re doing that when you look at the cost/benefit, you could let go of…even a little bit?

I’ve begun to ask myself, ‘Do I have to do all of this?’. Eliminating steps, being kind to myself, checking in with the why of what I’m doing, and simplifying where I can, has given me a little more wiggle room, some space to breathe and relax. Spending extra time editing a blog post might catch an error or two, but I’m willing to live with the errors for a little time on the patio, looking at the stars. How about you? Where can you simplify or eliminate to allow the space for some fun and joy?

Be Well,

Cathy