Knowing When You're Too Tired

It's a beautiful Spring day here in Vermont so I decided to go and do a walking meditation in the woods to chill out. About five minutes into the walk I realized I was too tired to go on. I'm recovering from walking pneumonia, packing to move and painting our new house. I only teach once a week but have subbed for four classes in the last week. I'm tired.

In the past with this much on my plate, I would have pushed through and finished my to do list. Choosing my list over my health. I'm over that. Perhaps it's because I'm older and I know that the world won't fall apart if I don't get things done. Or maybe it's because I'm tired of being sick and worn out. You can't enjoy life if you're sleepy.

Knowing when to say when is important. For some of us it isn't easy. Perhaps you're a Pitta and you're driven by success. To you, if that to do list isn't done or you don't keep up with your social calendar, you've somehow failed. Perhaps you're shy and don't feel comfortable saying no to people.

Whatever the reason is for you being overbooked, you have to find a way to cut back. Make more time for yourself. In my case, I won't do anymore packing after dinner. That's my time to reboot. If friends ask me to hang out, I'll ask that they come to me so that I don't have to make more time in my schedule that I just don't have. Or, I just say no thanks and find another time to hang out.

One thing that people understand well is being busy. We've all had times in our lives when it's ruled by chaos. Chaos makes us plan, it makes us learn to control our stress and it teaches us that sometimes things don't work out well, but that we can come out on the other side of the situation stronger. In order to cope with life's adversities, we need to be rested. When we're tired we aren't on top of our game and life is harder.

What to do when you do decide to take time to relax and someone in your life gives you grief? Tell them that you think they should take the time they would have otherwise spent with you and use it to relax some themselves. Some think it's scary to have downtime, it's foreign to them and they often aren't sure what to do. If this is you, don't worry, once you get a taste of letting go, you'll crave it. It's like a long savasana, one of the most popular yoga poses. At first it's hard to be still, but eventually you'll wish the teacher gave you more time in the pose.

Yoga teaches us to honor our bodies. We do this by being mindful in our practice, feeding it healthy food and exposing ourselves to loving relationships. By allowing ourselves to get worn down, we aren't honoring our bodies. Like anything, if you overuse it, it will eventually wear out and not work right.

Everyone has their own thing they like to do to relax. Find yours and make time for it. Find something on your list that you can cut out. There's always something that can go. Don't feel you have to do your regular yoga practice. You can do a whole yoga practice laying on the floor. Restorative yoga is wonderful when you're feeling out of steam. Here is a link to a simple restorative practice. There's tons of info out there on the web and many studio's provide restorative classes.

When doing a restorative practice, only do poses that you want to do. If a pose is offered in class or in a video and you don't feel up to it, don't do it. The whole purpose of this is to do what feels good.

Never feel guilty about taking time for yourself, everyone needs to reboot. Making relaxation a daily practice in your life will have a profound affect. You'll be better able to handle the little things that come up daily. You'll know that when life gets busy that you still have your quiet bit of time carved out to let go. That alone will help you get through any tiring schedule.