Many of us wake up daily feeling foggy, groggy, or like we cannot seem to clear our head enough to start the day with out a kick in the pants from some caffeine. In fact, in our go-go-go society doesn’t tolerate a mentality that thinks it is okay to take a break. For many of us who feel like we are scheduled within an inch of our lives, or have a young baby at home, are a care giver for an elderly family member, or any other myriad of scenarios, here are a few suggestions.
1. Know that you are not alone. The vast majority of us are trying to do more and there is only a finite number of minutes in a day. It’s okay to know you can’t do it all.
2. Once you’ve acknowledged that you can’t do it all, you have a couple of choices. First, ask for help. So many of us are terrible at that! Second, or if you are unwilling to ask for help, prioritize and be okay with everything not getting done. For example, right now I’m staring at a sliding glass door covered in toddler hand prints and dog slobber, carpet that needs to be vacuumed, and numerous piles and projects on the bookshelf that need to be put away and none of these are likely to get done today. Instead, I’ve got laundry going, the kitchen is clean, and because both kids are quiet, I’ve sat down to write this.
Would I love to have a spotless house as well as be able to get the three year old to her gymnastics class, take her to the library, weed the garden, exercise, and entertain the four month old? Sure! But because it is low on my priority list (and I dislike cleaning), it gets pushed to the weekends when my husband and I do a blitzkrieg clean to make the house liveable.
3. Don’t forget time for yourself. Did you snort your coffee when you just read that? There are days when I get my me-time in 5 minute snatches and usually only because my three year old hasn’t found me in the bathroom. I only recently started taking a whole hour once a week to go to yoga. But speaking from experience, even that makes a difference to my attitude.
4. Don’t cut out your sleep. In Chinese medicine, the most important and beneficial hours of sleep occur before midnight. Irregular or poor quality sleep can contribute to a host of health issues including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
5. Exercise. It will keep you healthy and will help your energy and endorphin levels which will help your mood and motivation.
6. If you’re looking for something other than caffeine to help get you through the day, we have a few suggestions. Foglifter will help you focus and push through your list without pushing into adrenal stress by supporting the liver. Guarana helps with fatigue and headache. Immune Plus helps by supporting your immune system and keeps your body from breaking down under stress. Mega Ginseng Plus assists with energy levels and stamina. UP! is a caffeinated tonic that will support your body instead of crashing once the caffeine wears off.
