Long COVID patient here, and YES. That statement definitely resonates with me. Pacing is so hard, but it’s absolutely essential. Thank you for this post 🧡
So glad this resonated with you Amy. I did 10K steps this morning so now I am in bed, resting, recharging my tank. Felt good to move and also I need to pace myself now so I have enough spoons for the rest of the week - so yes, pacing is so essential for me too!
“Don't do more today than you can recover from by tomorrow” articulates what I’ve been thinking about a lot recently. I fully agree with it, fully understand the importance, value, necessity of it and yet it’s feeling tricky to embody. I’m juggling a lot right now with my business, part-time work for a mental health charity, my book being published and studying a MSc and will be for the next nine months (when my Masters will be finished, not a baby born!). I know it’s doable but unexpected curveballs keep flying in (because: life) which knock me off plan and require more energy than can be recovered by tomorrow. I’m grateful my boundaries are good but stuff happens sometimes!
Oh for sure Gabrielle - that's why I say at the end this isn't always possible, because life happens right? I just find it helpful to come back to this when I do have the ability to decide how and where I'm using my energy each day. Cheering you on with all the things you're juggling right now - sounds like lots of exciting things!
This totally resonates with my experience with living with chronic health conditions! I usually think about my levels of spoons during a particular day, but don’t often think about how using them all up affects me the nest day. Thanks for this reframe. Take care!
Thank you Jen, I really needed to read this. I've been doing a lot of pushing through and then wondering why it takes me so long to get over the exhaustion. I am trying to practice more kindness and thinking about the week as a whole, rather than what I can get done on a day to day basis x
We all often need more rest than we feel comfortable allowing for ourselves I find - I write as I’m lying in bed recharging after lots of walking today and doing my best not to feel guilty about not hanging out with my son right now after spending all day with him so far. So yes - right there with you in choosing kindness as best I can each day :)
Oh wow such perfect timing for me to see this. I’m at a time in my life where it feels like I need to squeeze the most out of each day, as I’m eager to get to where I want to next and worried about things falling apart unexpectedly.
Going to be reminding myself of this post and quote from now as it’s became clear I need to start changing things 🫶🏼 Thank you Jen! 💛
It takes experimentation and sometimes pushing past our limits to figure out where our boundaries are doesn’t it. Rooting for you as you recover from burnout :)
Wonderful way of framing this question. I can certainly relate. When I am feeling energetic, I jump at the chance to do as much as I can, knowing full well I won't be able to do anything for the next 4-5 days. I feel good knowing at least one day I was able to 'do'.
Long COVID patient here, and YES. That statement definitely resonates with me. Pacing is so hard, but it’s absolutely essential. Thank you for this post 🧡
So glad this resonated with you Amy. I did 10K steps this morning so now I am in bed, resting, recharging my tank. Felt good to move and also I need to pace myself now so I have enough spoons for the rest of the week - so yes, pacing is so essential for me too!
“Don't do more today than you can recover from by tomorrow” articulates what I’ve been thinking about a lot recently. I fully agree with it, fully understand the importance, value, necessity of it and yet it’s feeling tricky to embody. I’m juggling a lot right now with my business, part-time work for a mental health charity, my book being published and studying a MSc and will be for the next nine months (when my Masters will be finished, not a baby born!). I know it’s doable but unexpected curveballs keep flying in (because: life) which knock me off plan and require more energy than can be recovered by tomorrow. I’m grateful my boundaries are good but stuff happens sometimes!
Oh for sure Gabrielle - that's why I say at the end this isn't always possible, because life happens right? I just find it helpful to come back to this when I do have the ability to decide how and where I'm using my energy each day. Cheering you on with all the things you're juggling right now - sounds like lots of exciting things!
Thanks, Jen, they are very exciting, I'm grateful for them all and they're all my choice, and it's a lot! :)
This totally resonates with my experience with living with chronic health conditions! I usually think about my levels of spoons during a particular day, but don’t often think about how using them all up affects me the nest day. Thanks for this reframe. Take care!
So happy this resonates Kate - looking at the bigger picture of my spoons over a week and month and not just a day has really helped me!
Thank you Jen, I really needed to read this. I've been doing a lot of pushing through and then wondering why it takes me so long to get over the exhaustion. I am trying to practice more kindness and thinking about the week as a whole, rather than what I can get done on a day to day basis x
We all often need more rest than we feel comfortable allowing for ourselves I find - I write as I’m lying in bed recharging after lots of walking today and doing my best not to feel guilty about not hanging out with my son right now after spending all day with him so far. So yes - right there with you in choosing kindness as best I can each day :)
Oh wow such perfect timing for me to see this. I’m at a time in my life where it feels like I need to squeeze the most out of each day, as I’m eager to get to where I want to next and worried about things falling apart unexpectedly.
Going to be reminding myself of this post and quote from now as it’s became clear I need to start changing things 🫶🏼 Thank you Jen! 💛
So glad this came at the right time for you Hannah - cheering you on with moving forward at a pace that truly works best for you 💛
Love it:
“Don't do more today than you can recover from by tomorrow.”
Such a great reminder isn’t it!
That quote resonates with me so much, I definitely need to consider my energy expenditure more in that way. Thanks for the reminder Jen.
So happy this resonates with you Kath - it’s such an anchoring question for me now!
Such a good reminder. I am constantly borrowing from tomorrow to do more today, and it's such a bad practice of mine.
‘Borrowing from tomorrow’ is the perfect way to describe it. So hope this can be an encouraging reminder for you :)
That's such a beautiful reminder :) As a HSP, I need * a lot* of recovery and alone time so this is gold to make sure I keep a well-balanced pace.
It’s the alone time isn’t it, it’s so essential to recharge my tank too. So happy this resonated with you :)
Yes this resonates so much for me post-burnout! I'm still figuring out how much energy expenditure is too much, but that's all part of it
It takes experimentation and sometimes pushing past our limits to figure out where our boundaries are doesn’t it. Rooting for you as you recover from burnout :)
Wonderful way of framing this question. I can certainly relate. When I am feeling energetic, I jump at the chance to do as much as I can, knowing full well I won't be able to do anything for the next 4-5 days. I feel good knowing at least one day I was able to 'do'.
Same for me Santina- sometimes balance for me looks like fuller days followed by much slower days and that’s okay with me!