Phew! It’s been a busy fall! (Busy enough that for a fleeting moment I found myself lusting after the days of quarantine and being stuck at home 24/7… It’s been that busy!)

Last week in the midst of projects being due, networking events, workshops, kids activities, social gatherings and so on… I found myself getting more and more exhausted. Brain fog was settling in and when I sat down to get work done? My brain was mush. I’d literally stare at the computer screen not knowing where to start.

Ever happen to you?

By Friday, I was doing everything I could to simply keep moving - knowing that if I sat still too long, I’d probably fall asleep…. for a long winter’s nap…

We went to my son’s play Friday night (his acting debut!) and loved every minute! It was so fun to celebrate this accomplishment with him! But when I got home, after the kids were in bed… I knew my exhaustion had taken it’s toll.

I woke in the middle of the night with body aches, headache, congestion - all of it. Saturday morning I couldn’t even walk down the stairs without getting out of breath or wincing. My body was exacting it’s revenge.

All week, I had explained to fellow coach friends that I couldn’t understand why I was having such a hard time focusing! And all of them said, “maybe you need some rest?” Bah Humbug! I have stuff to do!

But that’s the thing, isn’t it? I’ve been sick four days and counting - and am barely getting stuff done, still. This cold and the exhaustion that accompanies it were a result of pushing too hard for too long, I have no doubt.

What if I had listened to my body when I had a hard time focusing - and just taken a break? What if I had been more careful about my schedule, being sure to manage my time and energy to honor what works best for me? What if instead of skipping meals and working through breaks, I had eaten healthy, taken my vitamins, and gotten outside each day?

Would I still have gotten sick? Maybe. (After all, I do have two small kids in school!) But it also might not have been so bad…

Just another reminder to myself - and to you - to make sure you’re listening to your body. Make sure you’re honoring and caring for your body’s needs. We’re a lot like our cell phones. When we charge them periodically, before they’re on empty - they’re able to keep going. But when they lose all charge…. Well, then you might as well plug them in over night. It’s going to take a while to get their energy back.

What do you do to recharge each and every day? What do you do to maintain your energy? What do you do to guard your time?

It’s that time of year… The holidays are coming and we often allow our schedules to go crazy! What will you do this year to honor your priorities and health first?

My advice? Make a plan now. Don’t wait. Set those boundaries and expectations so you can take care of yourself and enjoy the holiday fun!

Wishing you a healthy, joy-filled week!