Monday Musings Forty: Too Tired

Too Tired

Hello, everyone. With today’s post going up a little late because I just couldn’t get to it, I thought how apt it would be to write about the tricks our brains and bodies can play on us.

Usually, I have my Monday Musings posts scheduled and all ready to go by at least the preceding Friday, but not so this week. Last week proved rather hectic and fraught, and I made the classic mistake of putting off for tomorrow what I could have squeezed in today. The trouble was, I just felt too tired to force myself to make that one last effort. And, of course, when tomorrow came, I felt too unwell to get out of bed.

This offered me teaching on a number of levels. Not least of which was a refresher on the importance of letting go. As much as I hated the thought of my post not being up and ready for first thing Monday, I couldn’t do much about it. For sure, I couldn’t write it the way I felt.

Secondly, it reminds me not to put off doing something when I have the opportunity to do it, as we never know what’s around the corner. Last week, a family member got ambulanced to A&E and spent some time in hospital. For everyone involved, we had to drop our carefully laid plans and respond as needed. It would have done no good trying to stay locked on target. So, another reminder: flexibility proved key.

And, still, all of us have work that needs doing and have to make the time somewhere. As you can imagine, the stress levels rose. Little wonder, then, that by Saturday, I felt so tired and drained. What I didn’t know then was that I was sickening for something, which put me to bed all day Sunday. And even this morning, I’m dragging myself around and will make this a short work day.

This leads me to look at the nature of tiredness and prevarication.

Often, when we feel tired, it is avoidance rather than a true need for sleep. While mine turned out to be a need for rest, it isn’t always so. How many times have you dreaded doing something and felt a complete lack of energy or enthusiasm? How many times have you experienced that energy miraculously burst forth when you switch your attention to something more fun and favourable?

If I’m honest with myself, and you guys, in with some of that mix this weekend was a need to hibernate for a while and just have the world go away. It all got on top of me, and that’s most likely why I came down with yet another cold. I’m sure I could have pushed myself more; however, would that have been the good thing to do? Sometimes, it’s good to push, but at others, it’s better to show ourselves some kindness and allow ourselves the space we need. In between sleeping, I got some good relaxing and reading done. And today, I feel much improved if not yet at a hundred percent.

It’s like walking a tightrope sometimes because if we ignore what’s really going on, we’re likely to end up in trouble. If the fatigue is genuine, we need to listen. And if it’s about avoiding, then we need to listen to that too.

As ever, I would suggest sitting quietly and asking yourself what your tiredness is about. Offer yourself the option in your mind of switching to a task or leisure activity that you enjoy … what happens to your energy then?

Sometimes, we just have to knuckle down and do whatever it is we’re avoiding. And, every single time that I’ve done that, I’ve felt much better once it’s out of the way and sorted. The more I put something off, the more it nags at me. Of course, we always have to listen as best we can. Because, sometimes, that need for avoidance is there because we’re about to do something that isn’t good to do. … Back to that old tightrope.

Sometimes, I don’t know whether I need a hug, a huge cup of coffee, or a fortnight’s sleep. (Or all three!) The important thing is to see what we’re doing and catch when our brains and bodies play tricks on us. And don’t judge. Just let it be. Work with it, not against it.

See, accept, and find the best way forward. Always, make the best of what you have right now. And, whenever (without good reason) you feel tempted to put off until tomorrow what you can and should do today: Remember …

In the wise words of Zen:

‘You don’t get the same moment twice in life.’

If you’ve missed my previous Monday Musings, you can find the links here: https://harmonykent.co.uk/category/monday-musings/