WHY AM I SO TIRED?

 

I’m too tired! In this life, I know that we are all too tired. But one of the best things that you can do when you are tired is exercise. It is also the last thing we want to do. Getting in a habit of exercising boosts your energy in the immediate and long term. Exercise helps the heart, joints and lungs become stronger and healthier. A healthy heart and lungs will help you become less fatigued when doing other things during the day. On a psychological level, exercise makes you feel good about yourself. Higher confidence in one area of life rubs off into other areas of life. If you are confident in your own skin, chances are you will see more opportunities in life and actually make the jump and try them. This type of behavior and mindset leads to more life fulfilment.

 

In addition to exercise, drink water. Water helps moisten joints and doesn’t make the body fight through a mild case of dehydration. When the body fights in any manner, it depletes energy for other activities, which in turn make you feel more fatigued.  Also, since water moistens joints and helps the discs in your back, you can expect some physical pain to decrease too, allowing more activity and thus an increase in energy and overall life happiness.

 

Last, get rest. Sleeping rejuvenates tissues in the body that make you stronger and more clear minded for the next day. I tell my clients, if you don’t need coffee in the morning, don’t drink it. That is the “traditional” time to drink it, but that doesn’t make it law. Actually, the sugar in milk helps you wake up and a cup of water activities your body’s organs, so, if you can, save that cup of coffee for early afternoon. Give yourself a boost with a cup of coffee around 1 or 2pm- this is usually the time that the body needs a, “pick me up.” And power naps, I am for them. Some people avoid them, but if you can power up through a 10-15 minute nap or mediation half way through the day and then be more successful and positive, do it!

This week’s challenge: beat the fatigue by adding in or increasing the exercise, water, and sleep.

 

Stop Exaggerating!

 

 When we exaggerate, we are making things bigger than they actually are, and thus we increase our anxieties, panic and lack of focus on what is happening or potential solutions.

For example, if you forgot to jump on that conference call at work, instead of telling yourself “I’m fired” over and over again, and then ruminate on “where will I find a job? No one is hiring. I have to pay rent next week!,” come back to reality, and acknowledge what is more likely to happen: “I will get an email or called into the office and advised not to miss a meeting again.” Maybe you will get written up, but probably not fired. Stop exaggerating.  

Take a moment to reflect on when you exaggerate. Typically when we do something, in this case exaggerate; we do it in more than one area of our lives. Think about how you exaggerate at work, on the phone with friends, when you go out with others, etc.

 

When you complained of the rush hour this morning, did you tell people you were stuck in it for “literally an hour,” but really it was 15 minutes? Has your computer really been frozen “all morning” or did it go out twice for 30 seconds? Does everyone “hate you” or is one person upset with you?

This week, tune into your exaggeration on big and little things and then bring yourself down to a more realistic ground of what is happening. This will help reduce anxieties, panic and frustration. It will also help you to be more clear minded about solutions and moving forward.

 

This St. Patty’s Day, be UN-lucky

 

Happy St Patrick’s Day!

Although I think turning the lake green is really cool, and, yes, I was that kid who looked on the ground for four leaf clovers back in the day, I must say today’s approach to St. Patty’s Day is going to be different from the norm.

 

Today, I want you to forget all the LUCK. You don’t have it. Now, I know what you are thinking, “Jaime, you have taken all the fun out of this day!” But I am saying “No, I made today even better!”

How so?

One thing I have learned from experience and reading is that we are not lucky. We worked really hard for what we have. We earned it. The problem with luck is that it runs out. BUT, when you earn something, it is much harder to lose.

 

If you earned something, you won’t “jinx” it. It is solid. That concept gives us confidence, hope and motivation. In fact, if you are aware that you have earned something, you are going to work even harder in the future because you don’t want to easily give up what you have put so much effort and time into.

This week’s challenge is to realize that you earned what you have. Build your confidence and self-worth. It was not by luck of the draw that you got where you are, you worked hard for that!

 

This St. Patty’s Day, be UN-lucky.

 

TAKE A BREAK!

 

This week’s tip is on taking power breaks. Many times people do not have the time for breaks during the day. Just because we don’t have time for them though doesn’t mean our bodies are not pleading for a break. Sure we all would love a 30 minute break 3 or 4 times per day, but in this life of non-stop, I am well aware that this isn’t likely.

 

However, what you want to search for are some areas within your life that allow you for quick breaks, but at the same time can rejuvenate you; sort of like that “second wind.” Maybe in the car, you make a pack with yourself that you do not check emails or text. That goes even for stopping at a long red light or sitting in 5 o’clock traffic. Just take driving time to center. It’s okay that with traffic it takes 45 minutes to get home when it should only take you 15. This is your rest time, enjoy it.

Or, you take a few extra bathroom breaks during work. They don’t have to be long breaks, but just walking away from the computer helps. Focus on your breathing as you walk to the bathroom (do not stop to talk to a colleague on the way) and then get in the stall and just relax for a minute.

 

If you travel a lot for work, I totally understand that on the plane you can get a lot of work done, but take that time to catch up on rest, relaxation or some gossip from a magazine. Perhaps you can set up a little reward system for yourself in that you are allowed to work on the plane ride to your destination, but not back. When at home with the kiddos, maybe set them up with a little activity that is safe, and let them know you will be in the other room for 10 minutes. Walk away from them and go do a quick meditation or whatever will give you that second power up.

 

Whatever can rejuvenate your body and give it a break from the busyness of the day, do it. It will actually make you more optimistic, positive and productive for the remaining hours of the day. Remember, there is no badge of honor for someone that makes it through the day, week, month or year without a break. BUT, there is a badge for people that have energy and a positive outlook on life, it’s called fulfillment and success.

 

This week, I challenge you to take one break each day (ranging from 1 minute-whatever you please) and see if it helps bring you back to the busyness a little bit stronger, positive or more healthy.

HURRY UP AND BE PATIENT!

 

HURRY UP AND BE PATIENT!

 

As I was heading into the office this morning I began to think about what might be a strong focus for the tip of the week. I couldn’t particularly think of what I wanted to say for today- then the heavens stopped me and told me the answer. No! Literally, I was stopped!

BY A TRAIN! A 30 minute train that was so slow, that for 10 of the 30 minutes it did not move at all. It was stopped. I was looking around, huffing and puffing, throwing up my hands and I might have even sworn. Do you know how much all this negative energy I was emitting moved me forward towards the office? ZERO.  A big fat 0!

No matter how impatient, angry and pouty I was, I moved up nothing. In fact, I was getting so upset that this barrier was in my way, that I actually tried to turn around at one point and go backwards. Going backwards would have only taken my further from my office. I let my own impatience get to me so badly that I would have went backwards, away from my goal. Not a good way to start out the week.

So, I thought, “Ah ha, this is my sign. Patience is what I will not only educate on today, but I will also let this be a focus for me this week, too.”

I began to relax and make do with what I had. I answered a few emails, wrote down some ideas I had for the tip of the week and uploaded some positive inspirations to Facebook while at this standstill.

 

Although I was late to my office this morning, I know that being personally self-aware of my patience this week will save me time, money and energy. The more impatient I am the worse decisions I will make, like going backwards. Going backwards is a waste of time and money. Often impatience creates anger which is a waste of energy.

This entire week’s goal came to me as I worked to reframe a negative situation.

This week’s goal is to be conscious of how impatient you are being. Self-check in traffic, when you are explaining something to someone, when your computer is taking forever to load, etc. A lot of our daily negativity comes from being impatient about a bunch of little things. Consistently be aware of your patience this week and work to make the best of the situation and/or find another way to get to the outcome.