Your busy and frazzled, rushed self should not be part of your identity.
The go, go, go energy isn't serving you. Or, think of it this way- will it serve you for 30 years?
Can you sustain this pace?
You might be thinking- well what do I do about it?
You may not be in a position where you can change your circumstance right now... and that's okay, as long as it's a temporary.
So you've been dealt the "busy life" card. Now what do you do about it?
How do we get through this time with compassion, capacity, love and kindness for yourself so you don't lose your mind?!
AIN'T THAT THE GOAL?
R.E.S.T
Relax-
Physically: You cannot train 6, 7 days a week and expect you are going to recover. You will feel sore, irritable, risk of getting ill, and risk of injury.
Your body's recovery is where muscle is BUILT. Remember, when you are in the gym lifting weights, you are tearing up the muscle fibres. Your recovery time, is what allows the muscles to knit and build up.
Give yourself a break! I know that training can be a great distraction from life... but instead of training, spend two days where that becomes a "pleasure schedule".
Schedule that time that you would train for a slow walk, yoga, painting, coloring, reading, knitting, or doing something settling with your hands while you watch a trash show.
You'll never feel worse after going for a walk.
Mentally:
We need time to rest, to "shed the shit" from out brains. If you don't find moments, glimmers of reprieve (even zoning out for a couple minutes) your brain will find a way to tell you, "I'm done". Most likely, it will be at a time that is HIGHLY inconvenient for you.
It's hard to find those moments when you're in the thick of it. Being intentional to build a habit can help loads. Set an alarm for a mental moment a couple times a day. Use this as a reminder that you need a second to take some deep breathes, stare out a window, stand up and wiggle your body from your desk and close your eyes.
Energize
When we rest, we create capacity to have the energy we need to train harder, to play with our kids, to go out with friends, or to simply be present and connect to our partner. If we don't rest, the stress consumes us. I know I am this person. I become more withdrawn, irritable and have less ability to listen to my husband. It's not about being less "tired". It's about having the energy to show up. Show up for yourself and the people around you who need you.
Sleep
I could and will do a whole blog post on sleep. Here's the nitty gritty. Sleep is your fat loss, your muscle building, your recovery, your solidification of learning or things that are important to your brain to store, to flush your brain of unwanted cells and thoughts. It is what allows you to function.
I know that can be challenging. When you are so busy with life, you want to stay up and have that time for yourself at night to watch Netflix or read, or whatever you choose to do. But, what if going to bed 15 minutes earlier could make you feel better? It's not just for a moment, going to bed and getting 7 hours of sleep supports your body all day long.
Time
You are worthy and deserving of time. It's not selfish to take care of yourself. It is a necessity. You cannot take from an empty cup. You need to fill the cup constantly to be able to have a glass and give it to someone else.
This doesn't mean you have to have hours and hours of time to "make it better". Let's be real, that's not realistic. It's finding moments. Glimmers.
Yes training is important, but so is recovery. So is that moment where you take a breath, close your eyes and drop your shoulders. Feel your heartbeat, get out of your head and into your body, for just a moment. Taking that walk to see the sunrise, or sunset before the world is awake or quietly sleeping.
If you don't MAKE the time for R.E.S.T, your body will find a way to make it for you.
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