January 12, 2022
Have you ever had a cold that really kicked your butt? One that has left you so tired that your eyelids are heavy and you just want to sleep? But, you can’t lie down because you can’t breathe. Friggin’ congestion! You want something to drink but nothing tastes good.
You try to do your work and get on with your day, but you have about two hours and that is it. No more energy to think and work. No more energy to walk around. As my youngest used to say, “pillow, blankey, go night night.” What a great idea, but you can’t, too much to do. Besides, if you try to lie down, you can’t breathe. Friggin’ congestion.
In trying to do this blog, I could not find anything interesting to write. I am tired and I have no more mental energy and no real physical energy. “Pillow, blankey, go night night.” Nope, I have to finish my work. Besides, I can’t lie down … I can’t breathe. Friggin” congestion.
I was going to do mental energy versus physical energy and when they are spent what happens. Maybe, another day.
Are you curious what enervate and caregiver have to do with each other?
I found this word, “Enervated.” I was curious and had to find out more about it. I know what innervated means, but what does enervated mean? According to Thesaurus.com it means exhausted or worn out. That’s me, I am exhausted and worn out from this cold.
So, how many times this past week have you felt enervated?
What is zapping your energy? It doesn’t always have to be an illness that makes you feel enervated. It could be feeling like you have too much to do. It could be that you haven’t been sleeping well and you are physically tired. When we figure out what zaps our energy we can decide to do something about it or let it ride and always feel enervated. A cold will last 7 – 14 days and then it will be over. Not everything is self-limiting, but we really do have the power to set boundaries, conserve our energy and feel better.
Manage your energy not your time
Don’t manage your time, manage your energy for a better day. Think of the things that zap your energy as either energy zappers or energy vampires. Make a check-off sheet and see what are your true energy zappers or energy vampires.
Get a sheet of paper and across the top, label Energy zapper, Physical, Mental, Emotional
Draw lines from the top of the paper down to the bottom. Now, when something zaps you, write down what it is or who it is and then mark the appropriate box on Physical, Mental, Emotional box.
After about four days, you will have a pretty good idea of who and/or what is zapping your energy. Then you get to decide what to do to conserve your energy. Do you need help? Do you need to take a break? Do you need to be a better manager of your energy? No judgments allowed. You are on a fact-finding mission.
I look forward to hearing what your energy zappers are. If you find a person to be one of your energy zappers, please give them a code name or a false name.
The only person that you can change is you. You can change how you react or deal with a situation. You cannot change another person. The only person that will set boundaries for your own good, is you. When you are sick with a cold, you will have to take care of yourself ‘cause no one else will. Maybe, you will need to take a couple of days off from work AND from other responsibilities to let your body rest and heal.
Now, my mental ability is spent and I am not sure that the previous paragraph even makes sense. It did to me, at the time. I would go lie down, but, I can’t ‘cause I can’t breathe. Friggin’ congestion.
Pat
