Bone Tired Weariness

 When the days just seem to run into one another and sleep eludes you at night, every action is just... so... tiring.

When I know I have so many things to do, it's hard to turn my mind off and enjoy that much needed sleep. The next day, everything just d r a g s. Getting anything really accomplished the next day seems almost, if not totally, impossible.

How do YOU deal with a sleepless night? Do you imagine lying on a beach with toes in the sand and the warm sun shining on your face? Or maybe you are one of those who will pretend to be riding in a slow, topless elevator and watching the top of the elevator shaft grow smaller and smaller. Maybe calming music will help you to drift off...

Or perhaps you check the clock after forcing yourself to lie still for most of the night only to find it's a mere eight minutes since you looked last.

As you go through the next day feeling so, so drained and you spy that young child who can just curl himself up and drift into slumber and you feel such incredible envy — and you can't avoid those feelings of guilt over that envy of an innocent child.

We need to find ways to turn off our minds so that we can be rested when sunlight comes again. Rested, productive, feeling accomplished, being positive... such lofty goals.

Instead of dwelling on all of the things you need to get done TOMORROW, think of what you accomplished today. Make a plan and then store it away so your body can have time to recharge. Whether you pray or simply "talk to yourself", express your gratitude for everything good in your life and congratulate yourself for making yesterday doable and productive.

Try spending a few quiet moments to meditate  before actually crawling under the bedtime blankets, think positive thoughts and remind yourself of the things you DID accomplish (and not just how much more you need to get done). Close your eyes and find a "Happy Place" where you can picture yourself stretching out and relaxing.

And when you wake in the morning and find that you aren't really dragging... well that is just one more accomplishment to think about when you turn off your mind.

Have a GREAT Day!

Busy Bodies

There are some who (both figuratively and literally) never get up off their duffs and take responsibility or any action. So often these people are quick to blame others for either what didn’t get done at all or didn’t get done to their satisfaction.

Why does it seem that some folks manage to do only one job well… the avoidance of doing anything constructive? Whether it’s at home or the office, fingers are pointed at others while those same fingers are never kept busy. And when the job does get done BY SOMEONE ELSE, these individuals are often so quick to take credit if the job has been done well, and so often to lay blame when things didn’t go as planned.

Something else you notice about these people, the stories behind their excuses change depending on how many others they make their excuses to. And yet for all of their do-nothing-attitude, these are the very same folks who are very quick to tell others just how things are supposed to get done. Heaven forbid you should do the task at hand without consulting her/him for advice and even permission. But if you wait until they actually take the time to show you, your job never gets done.

“If you want something done, ask a busy person.”
~ Benjamin Franklin

Sounds a bit like a contradiction, doesn’t it? Why is it that the busy person can “get the job done” when most others fail? One would think a busy person is too busy to add more tasks to be done. Why is it that the already busy person can manage to find the time that others never do?

One explanation might be that the busy person has developed management skills or he knows shortcuts. You can trust that a busy person won’t shy away from hard work. Knowing that someone can tackle the job you need done also lets you know that you can rely on that someone, and we naturally gravitate to the people we trust. It’s been suggested that most people who complain of being busy are simply giving themselves an excuse why they can’t get things done, after all if there is too much on your plate…

If you want to accomplish more, to get more things done and not have to wait for someone else to do those tasks for you, plan out your time. Keep a record of how long things take to do, know what can distract and sway you from your course. Schedule in any necessary down time such as stopping for lunch or even visiting the restroom. Work in front of a clock so you don’t lose track of time. Don’t get distracted by others around you. If necessary break your task down into increments that you tackle one at a time.

Make sure that your “busy time” is also productive time.