I have been home now for three weeks…it is time to return to my normal work life so I am sitting with my morning coffee generating a To Do list for my next three weeks of travel and reflecting on my time at home.
When I looked in the mirror this morning to add those eye drops from my surgery, (I swear those bottles will never be empty so I can throw them away) I noticed the circles under my eyes had certainly faded which was a welcomed sight! Rest is good for a weary soul…it allows time for becoming refreshed, renewed, relaxed and re-energized.
We all know what the word “rest” means…but I looked it up anyway. Here are some definitions that resonated with me…
REST: to cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or
recover strength
I had to cease work (my friends know how hard that is for me to do) in order to have my eye surgery. What a gift…better vision and the opportunity to take time for myself.
When was the last time you ceased work and took time to take care of yourself. Have you been putting off something for your own health that will make you a better you…make a plan…and go do it!
REST: allow to be inactive in order to regain strength, health, or energy
I had not been home for more that 2-3 days a week since January…I was exhausted, stressed, unable to sleep with crevasses so dark under my eyes that no eye makeup could hide.
Being exhausted has its own repercussions…relationships may suffer. One’s temper is quicker (I was aware of this as I travelled as well as during a conversation with a dear friend…thank goodness she loves me!). Listening and concentrating on easy tasks become more difficult. Often getting burnt out…leads to getting sick…at least that happens to me!
Is this a picture of you? Maybe you need to take a REST.
REST: leave…out of a team temporarily
I call this my hiatus…to leave the three teams that I work for high and dry temporarily to recoup….after week two I began to get the hang of it…setting boundaries and limits for myself.
This was the hardest part of rest for me….being out of the loop…not knowing what was going on…after all I think we all somewhat feel “I AM IMPORTANT”. We are needed at work, but when you set it up and get things in order the team can keep everything running in order to have a better YOU! I know I will be better as I return this week…more focused, and energized with my sense of humor intact.
Thought for the day… What do you need rest from?
It could be work….years ago I needed a rest from being a mother (I love you kids!)….several years ago, I needed rest from being a caregiver (which was an honor, but still exhausting), sometimes rest is needed from daily challenges that present themselves all at once in a period of our life. What a blessing to take three weeks off and get to rest. We are seldom that lucky…so rest may be in increments of minutes or hours or if lucky a few days.
What does resting mean? Putting your feet up, taking a nap, sleeping in, turning on TiVo and turning off the TV, listening to music, getting a massage, manicure or pedicure (Yes, you men can do that too!), taking an overnight or weekend trip by yourself…do whatever it takes to get some rest. It will do you a world of good!
The nicest compliment I got this week was from one of my dearest friends….”I haven’t seen you look so peaceful and relaxed in a long time”…Life is good when we take time to take care of ourselves…
So…go have a restful day…someway!