You Don't Have a Time Management Problem - Part 3

     If you've read Part 1 and Part 2, you know that this post is my take on how to deal with an Energy Shortage.  No, I don't mean running out of oil. I'm talking about your body.  What can you do if your "battery" runs down quickly, and takes forever to recharge?

My stress list. I didn't think of spaces, lol.

     Everyone deals with this problem at some point or another in their lives.  Whether it is a cold or a chronic illness, our bodies aren't going to run at 100% all of the time.  Of course if it is a short term problem, like a cold, you probably don't think much about it.  But I think there is a very large percentage of the population who are perpetually running on low battery, and many of them don't even realize it.  They just think they have too much to do, and not enough time.
    You probably have an energy shortage if:

• You are dealing with chronic pain or illness
• You are pregnant or nursing
• You have children, especially under the age of 8 or so
• You are sick
• You are caring for someone who is sick
• You have suffered a loss recently
• You have had surgery in the last few months
• You are under a lot of stress

    I couldn't figure out why I couldn't get my work done.  I'm home all day.  I don't have any children to make messes.  My home should be clean.  My dishes should be done.  I was really getting frustrated with myself.  Then I discovered I have PCOS.  Polycystic Ovary Syndrome isn't a reproductive disorder - it is an endocrine disorder.  Why means the hormones it affect aren't just the ones that determine if I will have a baby or not.  They also determine if my skin will be clear, and my metabolism, and stress levels, and sleep, and ultimately my energy.  It's something that can be managed, but it isn't going to go away and stay away on it's own.
    I think I knew that time wasn't my problem.  And I knew I wasn't (always) being lazy, yet I also knew that somehow I needed to do better.  When Paula pointed out that time wasn't the issue, rather that energy was, I realized that while everyone has the same amount of time, and it is out of our control, my energy was something that I could actually work with.  In fact, it's something everyone can work with to a certain extent.  Now I know I have it pretty easy - It's just my husband and I, and I don't work outside the home.  Kids, as much as I can't wait to have them, do have a lot of demands, as do jobs.  

   With our low batteries, we need to go a little more in depth than what I talked about in the last post.  Knowing what gives us energy and what takes extra amounts of energy is really important.  It's also important to know what causes stress in our lives, since stress really drains our batteries quickly.  Chances are, we won't be able to get it all done.  And that's ok.  It is more important to give our bodies the chance to heal, and that means getting plenty of rest and not overdoing it.  Ever notice how if you let your cell phone battery run down, it takes for ever to come back on again?  I don't know about you, but my body is the same way.  I'm learning (slowly!) that is is much better to accept my limitations and do what I can, rather than plowing through and crashing.  It's a terrific lesson in humility.
 
   Let's start with food.  Of course healthy food is better than junk food, as tempting as it is to just pop in a frozen pizza.  But more than that, make sure you don't have any food allergies or sensitivities you are accidentally aggravating.  What is good for you may not good for me, and vice versa.  Right now I am avoiding all grains, because I notices that even rice makes me feel more hungry after eating than I was before.   Because of my insulin resistance, it made sense for me to cut carbs, and it seems to be working. Food sensitivities and allergies may not look the way you expect them too.  My brother is allergic too milk, but instead of digestive upset, his sinuses go crazy and he ends up sneezing all night.   Instead of getting migraines from MSG like most people with that sensitivity, I get heartburn.  So figure out what food is good for you, and do your best to avoid foods that aren't good for you.  Sometimes these changes are only short term, while your body heals.
    Also make sure you are eating often enough.  If your body thinks it is starving, for whatever reason, it will try to store everything you put into it.  So not only will you have lower energy, you will also find yourself gaining weight.  If I don't eat every 2-3 hours, I get tired a lot faster, plus find myself more likely to get angry or cry over silly things.
 
   The only thing I have to add on the subject of sleep is that after I got my appendix out, my surgeon told me that 45 minutes is the ideal length for naps, because you get enough rest to make a difference, but you don't fall into that deep sleep that will make you groggy if interrupted.  Which is great if you fall asleep quickly.  If anyone has any tips on that, they would be greatly appreciated.

  Have you written down your daily grind yet?  Include everything you need to do - even brushing your teeth.  Figure out a raking system for each item.  You want to note how much energy the task takes, how stressful it is, and whether you get a "boost" from doing it.  I ranked everything from 1 to 5 in each category.  Also make a list of weekly, and even monthly tasks.  You could also add a list of things like "Visiting my family," "Having Company over," "Visiting husband's family," etc.  The idea is to have a good picture so you can easily see that, for example, you might want to eat leftovers the day you go grocery shopping so you don't have to cook.  Now is a good time to ask yourself why some of these tasks require more energy or are more stressful than others, and if there is any way to make them easier.  For example, even though it's just my husband and I, I've switched back to using paper plates for now, since we don't have a dishwasher.
  Next write out a list of Relaxing and Energizing activities - and give them all a score on both categories.
  Finally, write down everything that causes stress, leaving enough space between to come up with ways to reduce or avoid that stress.


  Finally, it is time to prioritize.  Figure out what absolutely has to get done everyday for survival.  (Hint: Food, sleep, and clean clothes should probably be at the top of the list.) After that, look at you stress list.  What causes the most stress?  Is there anything you can do to prevent or reduce that stress?  Those are going to be your next priorities.  The more you reduce the stress in your life, the more energy you will have for other things.  Do you have the energy for that much?  If not, that's alright.  That just means you need to find more help, and maybe different ways to do things.

     I know that for a lot of people, asking for help is hard, especially when it is for help with things you used to be able to do.  It's easy to mistake your limitations for laziness.  But if we are trying to do better, and are doing what we can, you aren't lazy.  We can't do it all, no matter what "all" entails.  And while my husband probably doesn't love doing dishes, he does love me, and I shouldn't feel guilty if he's doing something for me.  This goes for other family members and friends, too.  Don't waste energy by feeling guilty when someone is helping you.  Be grateful.  And remember to lift up others in need, even if all you can manage right now are kind words and prayers.


  What do you think stresses you out the most?  What solutions did you come up with to reduce or eliminate that stress?