Wow, it has been a ridiculously long time since I blogged - sorry about that! I have been swept up with summertime - which doesn't mean that I've been luxuriating on vacation or even lounging at the beach. Au contraire, I've been working like a dog! I've been creating new body care products (coming soon!), hatching some a new detox program (stay tuned!), completing a contract with the National Co-op Grocers Assoc., muscling through my second quarter in grad school, and helping my honey with some mammoth house projects like digging a trench in our backyard.
(For the record my buddy, Ben, is wearing pants.)
So, August flew by, as summer months tend to do. But now, autumn is a-brewin' and energy is shiftin'. I'm back in the saddle and ready to share my finite wisdom with you like a teenage girl writing in her diary. Aren't you lucky?!
It seems like none of us can really avoid these times of crazy-busy, but how we get through it is perfectly within our control. For me, I can handle long work days, endless projects, and mounting to-do lists if a few precise pieces can be in place.
But, the #1 most important player in keeping my cool amidst chaos is sleep
I absolutely do not skimp on sleep. No siree, Bob. And you shouldn't either. It may be tempting to stay up later to get more done, but the truth is, we are less effective at communication, decision-making, and overall work performance when we're tired and sleep deprived. Not only that, but we have less emotional control, which make managing our moods and stress response darn near impossible.
When things are busy, it can be hard to get to sleep. You're brain is buzzing with activity and your sympathetic system (your stress response) is on autopilot (which means your body is busy getting ready to battle the bear and is less interested in resting and digesting). Here are a few tips to persuade your body to sleep:
Now you've got my secrets for cultivating calm in the chaos. How do you get yours?
So, August flew by, as summer months tend to do. But now, autumn is a-brewin' and energy is shiftin'. I'm back in the saddle and ready to share my finite wisdom with you like a teenage girl writing in her diary. Aren't you lucky?!
It seems like none of us can really avoid these times of crazy-busy, but how we get through it is perfectly within our control. For me, I can handle long work days, endless projects, and mounting to-do lists if a few precise pieces can be in place.
- First, I need to take time for myself. I'm a morning person, so I wake up early and spend an hour or so on my yoga mat stretching and meditating. Just moving and grooving and being quiet is incredibly restorative for me.
- I make sure I have balanced meals and snacks ready to grab and go. This takes a little planning and prep time, but pays off in a major way. My meals are focused on high-quality proteins, vegetables and fruits to stabilize my blood sugar and keep my energy slow and steady.
- I steer clear of refined carbs, sugar, and caffeine. These treats do nothing but push my stress buttons and rev up my anxiety. Who needs it?
- And, I take breaks to reset my energy and reframe my mind. Walking around the block, hunting for blackberries in my backyard, and taking deep belly breaths are all awesome attitude adjusters.
But, the #1 most important player in keeping my cool amidst chaos is sleep
I absolutely do not skimp on sleep. No siree, Bob. And you shouldn't either. It may be tempting to stay up later to get more done, but the truth is, we are less effective at communication, decision-making, and overall work performance when we're tired and sleep deprived. Not only that, but we have less emotional control, which make managing our moods and stress response darn near impossible.
When things are busy, it can be hard to get to sleep. You're brain is buzzing with activity and your sympathetic system (your stress response) is on autopilot (which means your body is busy getting ready to battle the bear and is less interested in resting and digesting). Here are a few tips to persuade your body to sleep:
- Eliminate screen time 1 hour before hitting the hay. Our TVs, computers, tablets, and smart phones are all lit with blue lights that suppress secretion of melatonin, our sleep hormone.
- Spend time in the sunshine every day to help regulate your circadian rhythm, the beat of your body's 24-hour (+15 minute) daily cycle.
- Lower the lights after sunset. Spending time in the sun every day helps regulate our circadian rhythms, but being under bright overhead lights after sunset dis-regulates it, making it harder to harness the z's.
- Establish a bed time routine that tells your body, "I'm going to bed now." It could be as simple as washing your face and brushing your teeth. If the day has been especially frantic, taking a bath, sipping chamomile tea, and sitting in meditation for a while may be required to quiet your mind and prepare your body to rest.
- Go to bed early and make sure you get at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep. You're gonna need energy to perform tomorrow, so store it up now! Keep in mind, that it also requires energy to sleep, so don't use up your tanks on everything else without reserving some for you.
Now you've got my secrets for cultivating calm in the chaos. How do you get yours?