It came to me recently as I traversed yet another week of my biology class and found myself at the end of the week exhausted and barely able to find myself to my bedroom that I had made a grievous mistake this week. I had failed to account for down time for myself and had pushed myself very hard all week. You know when you have just finished a weekend about to start the week and you are already talking about next weekend and how you can’t wait to relax that you are headed for a long and hard road ahead. As I mentioned in Entry entitled: Healthy Mind- Feeling like an outsider, returning back to school I have worked to follow some basic principles to remind myself of where I have been and where I am now and to not get to caught up in trying to keep up with “others†but rather focus on my own goals while keeping time and my health in balance. It has not been easy and this week was a perfect example of how we can find ourselves out of sync and depleted. So after I re-read that blog and thought about this week, I reminded of what is important to keep in mind.
I came back to my tool box and looked at what I had on hand to try things differently this week and here is what I came up with:
1. **Timing:** Cut the 8 hours into 5 hours. This is actually a tool that my boyfriend introduced me to. Plan for 5 of the 8 hours for what you want to get done in a day. If that means studying, running an errand or filling out paperwork, plan for fewer items and give yourself the time to get them done. Between meal time, getting from A to B and any other number of things that can come up in a day you will feel more satisfied if you are able to accomplish those few task than piling up more than you can handle.
2. **Eating:** Cutting corners on meal time is that last place you want to go when it comes to UC. If it means being an extra 10 minutes late to an appointment or a scheduled event allow for it, you will be happy you did when your belly isn’t crying out for help.
3. **Nap time:** Find an hour out of your day to take a nap, lay down, close your eyes or just relax to some music or a show. If an hour is a stretch, put your head down at your desk and close your eyes or find a quiet place to sit and just Be. This down time is essential at any and every stage of healing and is essential for our well-being regardless of our condition.
Keep in mind that every experience we are having is part of the learning process. If we find ourselves repeating lessons, there is a reason. I for one have found that managing my time and not burdening me with too many commitments is a constant lesson I teach myself over again as my circumstances and relationships evolve. Keep the week simple so you can look back and reflect on it with clarity. Enjoy your week as I will and let me know if you find yourself at the end of your week at pace with your life and yourself.
