I recently instituted a day of rest in my schedule. I didn’t do it for religious reasons, per se, but rather felt a strong need for some scheduled rest.
I operate on a vigorous schedule, typically on very little sleep. Last week, I survived two work days on a total of five combined hours of sleep. I can function like this right up until the point where I can’t. The tipping point is unknown.
I have no gas gauge.
I go and go until I experience an automatic shut-down. This can happen in several ways:
- I get sick and illness puts me down
- The tiredness attacks me emotionally, and I develop excessive, reactionary volatility and retreat
- My body goes into complete exhaustion where I sleep for two days (this has happened probably two or three times)
About a month back, I could see the process repeating itself, and I wanted to break the pattern. Mid-week is best for me to take off from my work and running schedules, and so I did. On Thursdays, I rest, relax, watch movies/ TV, and try not to plan anything. If I feel like doing something, I do it, but I limit the obligations I make in case I simply feel like resting all day.
You know what? It has made all the difference. I’m even more motivated on the remaining six days of the week, and I’m better able to accomplish everything on my daily planner/ to-do list. I am still dealing with some feelings of guilt on Thursdays for “wasting” the day away, but I think that will lessen over time as I continue to see the fruits of my rest.
We all have patterns in our lives that can be detrimental to us. I have many, most of which I’m probably unaware. Hopefully, I’ll be able to eliminate my automatic shut-downs.
I love Thursdays.
