The Unspeakable.

When you are just tired. I think entrepreneurs fear the word.  Tired? WHO’s TIRED?  Anyone that is tired is just not ready for this…anyone who is tired is already defeated.  Anyone who is tired is not trying hard enough…or maybe they don’t need it bad enough. 

The truth of the matter is you can be tired! It is okay to be tired.  Tired is a part of life really, think about it.  EVERYBODY SLEEPS.  Your body and your mind need time out to recuperate from the stresses of the day.  Any wonder why folks are looking into yoga and meditation.  Your body tells you what it needs.  Sometimes your body tells you that you need to take a break.

Proud Mary like many folks wears so many hats that during the day I can become easily frustrated from the constant. The constant worrying and battling.   Yes I said it…it is a battle and you are always worrying.  I personally think that when you just sit back and realize that while this can be stressful on your body and mind, it is part of life’s journey and so with that then you can find ways to ACCEPT IT (for lack of a better term), acknowledge and address it.

How do you address being tired short of just falling flat on your face when you come in the door from a 14 hour day?  I mentioned early about meditation or yoga and sometimes just a time out doing absolutely nothing.   Sometimes it could be doing something fun either by yourself, with your significant or a group of friends. I don’t think I need to tell you how to unwind, we all know how.  The problem is we don’t allow ourselves the time to do so.  We hinge every day on accomplishing so much that at the end of the day we won’t even reward ourselves with what was done, but what was NOT DONE.  I do it often, I am guilty.  I make a list and check it off and when I do not accomplish everything on the list I sometimes feel defeated.  It is natural..natural for me and natural for you.

When you are working a day job and coming home to work on your dream job you can easily come at war with yourself. I know I do.  So the question is…. what do I do….and what works for me?

Well, for one I write now.   I write about my experiences and I share them now because it is therapeutic for me. I know some friends that do too!  If you haven’t considered it I do encourage you.  Write in a journal or a blog or just write letters to yourself.  To be able to bring out your feelings on paper is a form of release.  And how do I know…from my other process…reading.

I always enjoy reading, fiction, nonfiction, biographies…etc.  Recently I have been reading about people that I admire, wish to learn from and feel empowered by.  Some readings I have recently enjoyed are below.This is my list..doesn’t have to be yours but I will tell you that is it amazing to hear from other perspectives how they deal with life’s challenges. How they deal with day to day tiredness.  What do they do for release?  Do they write as well? 

BALANCE IS THE KEY TO LIFE

When I am not writing or reading I am spending time with my family.  How simple a concept, right.  But how often do you say it..”the only time I see you is when we are at a funeral.”  And we promise our family that we will make a point to spend more time with each other….until the next funeral.   That is why my family is so big on birthdays.  With there being at least someone’s birthday almost every month of the year we make a point to do something…even if we just have cake and ice cream, collectively go to the movies or bowling.  We find some moment out of our lives to live with each other.  PRICELESS.

My family doesn’t know what I do every day. They don’t know my struggles and ½ of them don’t even know that I am pursuing this dream job as hard as I am.  I will tell you though, they are my refuge, my release and my support system.

I want you to do a couple of things if you can.

Tell yourself when you are tired.  I mean say it out loud!!!    Give your body and your mind a break. 

Set your daily goals but don’t over task yourself.  If you posted your SMART GOALS on your wall under your VISION BOARD then just look to them and use to focus.

Balance is the key to overcoming being tired too.  Don’t negate your sleep. If you need a nap take one.  The body can do so much on just a 5 minute siesta, trust me.

Schedule..schedule..schedule. You don’t have to micromanage yourself but you should set up some reasonable goals and set the timelines achievable.  Pick 5 goals for the week and tell yourself I only need to reach 3.  Anything after is a bonus! 

Celebrate how far you have come too.  I try to never beat myself up on what I didn’t do. I look at what I accomplished and well, the rest goes to next week’s list. I have to remind myself this…I am not perfect.

The unspeakable is acknowledging that as strong and resilient as we appear or want to appear, we are only human, we need our rest, we need our breaks.  Meditation, yoga, aromatherapy, family time, doing nothing….these are all components to being a successful entrepreneur.  And if you are like me, swinging both doors and challenged by the day then find someone like yourself and go have coffee.  Sure do a little networking but then go to the movies!!!!!!!!!

Leslie Crudup writes for The Business Liaisons – Business Coaching and Consulting

 

www.thebusinessliaisons.com