Feeling drained? This will help.

Ya know… many of us are unconsciously using a backward strategy for getting things done, but not realizing it’s working against us. 

The strategy goes like this… life asks more of us, it feels busy, so we speed, try to do more, and then CUT OUT what we need most. 

Any guesses as to what gets cut? 

I’ll give you a hint… it’s the same thing that professional athletes PRIORITIZE as much as their training. 

It’s RECOVERY. 

We cut sleep, meditation, good nutrition, hydration, and positive self-talk (to name a few). 

We drain our systems trying to give more and get more done. 

The result? 

Whether we realize it or not, our creativity, communication, and decision-making capabilities are compromised. Add on top of that, we often feel depleted, stressed, anxious, and pressured. 

Athletes know from research that cutting recovery will negatively impact their performance and will increase the odds of injury. 

But the rest of us? It’s like we “train” our brains and bodies non-stop and CUT recovery. 

Doesn’t it seem backward?

Recovery is KEY for performance and ease, especially when the demands of life feel intense.

Recovery will HELP YOU think better, work better, communicate better and feel better physically, mentially, and emotionally.  Whether you’re “performing” as a mom, entrepreneur or athlete, you’ll perform better with recovery.

It’s like magic. 

What does recovery look like? In essence, recovery is nourishing your mind, body, and spirit to create a natural state of wellbeing. 

Here are some examples: 

Sleep (more on this next week) 

Meditation

Positive self-talk/Self-compassion

Self-care (acupuncture, massage, time in nature)

Feeling your emotions 

Hydration

Nutrition

Yoga/Stretching  

Deep breathing

Exercise

Rather than CUTTING recovery, let’s build a RECOVERY PLAN and PRIORITIZE IT to help you feel better.

Building Your Recovery Plan: 

1st: What do you currently do for recovery? Make a list. If all you have right now is sleep, that’s great. 

2nd: What recovery practice are you going to prioritize? If your sleep sucks, you might start there. If sleep is great, consider another practice, like meditation, but choose one to prioritize. 

3rd: How are you going to prioritize this practice? 

Suggestions: Set a “going to bed” alarm as a reminder to start your nighttime routine earlier. 

Or, schedule a meeting on your work calendar with yourself to meditate. Tell yourself that you refuse to flake on that meeting.

Finally, treat this recovery plan like an experiment. 

Notice what happens if you prioritize recovery as your strategy for “performing” better and feeling a whole lot more ease in your life.

PS: Next week we’re diving deeper into sleep recovery and how to create more ease with sleep! Stay tuned!