Exhaustion: Five Tips For Coping
What happens when you were already tired to start… truly exhausted… and then a crisis situation of some sort (or multiple crises) crops up – resulting in you expending energy you didn’t even know or think you had and leading to a more profound state of exhaustion that makes day-to-day functioning quite challenging?
What do you do if you’re so drained that basic daily functions are quite challenging? What do you do if you’re in so much pain that it’s difficult to think and you’re too exhausted to think straight about how to best deal with that pain (i.e. when some of your normal coping strategies start going out the window because you’re too tired to organize your thoughts)? What do you do if you’re so drained that you can’t keep up basic correspondence (i.e. letting people know that you’re OK)? What if you are experiencing stress that drains you emotionally and adds to the physical exhaustion? While it might seem like common sense for anyone who feels utterly exhausted to “simply” back off on some of their activities to avoid burnout, this can be easier said than done sometimes. There are times this requires tough choices to be made.
In the end, all any of us can do is our best. We aren’t likely to please all of the people, all of the time. Accepting this fact can be helpful… especially in those extra-busy and/or extra-stressful times. Weeding out one’s “best” from one’s “best if one were healthy which one is not” is key. Your “best” 20 years ago and your “best” now may differ wildly. That’s alright. It is what it is. Above all, it is imperative to prevent burnout. That’s not to say that it’s never a good idea to test the waters and push the boundaries a bit. What I have found is that the key for testing the waters is to closely monitor how symptoms are affected by increased/different activity. Being prepared to back off when symptoms do get exacerbated is very important.
Now, if only I could consistently implement these tips myself… I might feel better! (I’m working on it). As anyone I normally interact with online (including on this blog) can tell you, I have backed off immensely in my online activities. Unfortunately, when I did so it was not to take a break or a vacation. It was to replace that time spent with (crisis-related) activities that were more draining and stressful. So, it will take me some time to resume anything resembling a “normal” schedule… but I intend to work on it. In the meantime, I won’t be able to catch up on messages anytime soon. So, please know that you are in my thoughts even if this is the only place you hear from me for awhile. Thank you for your patience.
This post was written by Jeanne at http://chronichealing.com. Copyright © Jeanne — chronichealing.com. All rights reserved.
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2 comments
Oh I hear you 🙁 seems like we have too much in common…I know what I should be doing but boy I’m so rubbish at pacing…
Heh – and my inbox scares me :p
Good luck with following your own advice. And thanks, I needed to read this today.
PS – don’t worry about replying 😉
Welcome Sand!
Pacing can be so tricky! My inbox is a frightening thing. Thank you for stopping by. It’s very nice to meet you! 😉
Jeanne
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