Bipolar Supporter? Worn Out? Use This Trick
Published: Mon, 05/03/10
Hi ,
How's it going?
Hope you are doing well.
I've talked to many people over the years
who complained about being worn out.
Some of them you could tell were at the
point of exhaustion.
The conversation usually went something
like this:
Me: "How are you doing today?"
Them: "You know, I'm doing pretty
good; I'm just so tired."
Me: "You look tired. Have you been
getting any sleep?"
Them: "A little. Not as much as I need to."
Me: "Well, why not?"
Them: "I've always got so much to do.
"I hurry around doing everything with no
time to take a break during the day, and
then I have to take a while to wind down
before I go to bed otherwise I can't sleep."
Me: "I've been there, but that's when it's
time to cut back on some of the things
you're doing."
Them: "Oh I can't cut back! My loved one
needs me and I have to work and I'm not
going to drop..."
Do you see how this is a self-defeating
conversation?
Today it seems like everyone is always
on the go.
It's always hurry, hurry, hurry and go, go,
go!
Here's my suggestion for how to combat
exhaustion:
STOP!
Now, I know what you're thinking.
You can't drop everything.
You can't ignore things that are really
there.
You can't take too much time out of your
busy day or you won't get anything done.
You have obligations.
Well that's all fine, but you have to
remember, your biggest obligation is
yourself!
Your second obligation is your loved one,
whom you can't take care of unless you
first meet your own needs.
So it is necessary sometimes to stop.
Now, stopping can mean several things.
It can mean stopping to take a break.
That doesn't mean permanent; you can
get back to things soon.
But everybody needs a break.
It can also mean stopping to prioritize.
If you don't have a prioritized game plan,
then you might as well be running around
in circles.
You are likely to do more time wasting
and busy-making that way then you are
to do anything that is productive.
Prioritizing your tasks is a sure way to
help you figure out what needs to be done,
when, how, and in what order.
Some people can prioritize in their heads;
others need pen and paper.
You might also try calendars and voice
recorders.
Whatever method works best for you,
prioritizing is a healthy thing to do to
manage your time and energy.
Stopping can also mean choosing to stop
something altogether.
Now, this does mean quitting something
for good.
And sometimes that really is for good:
sometimes you need to quit something
to keep yourself healthy.
If you've gotten yourself into too many
obligations, then you may need to back
off one or two of them.
After all, you wouldn't want to lose track
of your obligations to your loved one
in the mix of everything, would you?
Other times stopping means you need to
put your foot down and say you're done
for the day, even though you have a
couple hours yet before bedtime.
After all, if you need a few hours to
unwind after a busy day, then giving
yourself those few extra hours would be
wise.
Stopping can mean several things, and
it usually means something that will help
you to take a break.
So, for once, make a point to practice your
stopping skills.
It just might help.
What ways do you think you could stop
that might help you?
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Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
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