Lately, I have not been a very good example of living the SWEET Life, but I see myself turning a corner . . . My ESL class at Chabot College ends on Tuesday, which will mean more nights at home, eating dinner with my family, making sure my girls get to bed at a decent hour, and ideally, having more time to spend with Nick!
Sleep: The last two nights I have slept well, despite whatever musical beds were being played with my daughters. But I only slept well 6 out of the last 12 nights!
Water: I haven't been drinking enough or paying enough attention to it. Some days I'll fill my pitcher, determined to drink it all, but then I'll be out of the house much of the day or something that throws off my water intake. I'm sure I'd feel better if I drank more and cleaned out my system. It's been about 10 days since I know I drank 8 cups of water in a day.
Eating: That's been a mess too. Mostly, I haven't been paying attention to what I've been eating. Also, I haven't been grocery shopping very much because I'm gone for dinner so often. The end result is that we don't have great food around the house, and I can't honestly say that I've eaten a balanced, healthy diet for the past week.
Exercise: I've been a bit sick this week, so I only exercised Monday and Tuesday. Today, I really should have, but I didn't. Surprisingly, I just bought a new pair of running shoes, which usually really motivates me to go running, but despite having them for a week, I haven't used them yet! It doesn't feel like it to me, but besides this week's illness, I had been exercising 5x/wk.
Tranquility: I don't feel like I've had much Tranquility lately. It seems that whenever I have free time, I spend it doing things that need to be done, like preparing my ESL class, rather than what I would like to do. I don't even know what I would like to do anymore! There are just so many things that I don't know where to start! I've had Tranquility 3 out of 6 days this week.
How did I do, and how do I feel?
Today, I had a S_ _ _ T Life.
I've been looking forward to finishing my ESL teaching for so long that that has been my only focus. Everything else has been put aside until after that class is over, so all free time has been devoted to doing what I can to finish the class (lesson planning, grading, thinking ahead to the final exam, etc.). I was smart enough to set aside 4 hours today to spend preparing my final exam. Nick took the girls out of the house, and I worked and worked. They actually came back, lunch in hand, after 3 1/2 hr, and I think I could have finished writing my final if I'd had that extra 1/2 hr. But it's good to know that I'm 90% finished writing it. Working, focused, for that block of time made me feel really relaxed afterwards, like I could just enjoy the rest of my Saturday with my family.
Showing posts with label burn out. Show all posts
Showing posts with label burn out. Show all posts
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Saturday, December 22, 2007
To Exercise Or Not To Exercise?
Sleep
I was woken up at 5:30 by a combination of uncomfortable factors which also prevented me from falling back asleep: the noise of Nick snoring a little, the crowded feeling of 4 of us in one bed(!), and the need to use the bathroom. So, unfortunately, once again, I didn't sleep enough last night. I'll try again tonight . . .
Water
Hmm, gotta get on the water bandwagon; I haven't drunk much yet today, even though I worked out! Fortunately, I still have plenty of time today to catch up on that.
Eating
Nick made waffles for breakfast -- yummy! I like to dip them in yogurt, instead of smothering them with syrup. Sometimes I dip them in applesauce, but we're out of it at the moment. Had leftover make-your-own-burritos for lunch. Burritos are one of those foods, like pizza and hamburgers, that seems so much healthier if you make them yourself than if you buy them anywhere. Homemade, I know exactly what's in them; I use fresh, healthy ingredients, etc. I ate a couple "little cuties" too; my family loves those little tangerines. . .
Exercise
Since I've been so bad about exercising this week, I did double duty today: I went on a walk with a friend, then did a toning workout. The walk isn't much of a workout; it doesn't get my heart pounding, but it does get my legs moving. But it was nice to catch up with a friend. Otherwise, this week, I did one cardio workout and one toning workout. I'll workout tomorrow too, something to get my heart pounding.
Tranquility
It's the Saturday before Christmas, and I 've finished my Christmas shopping, which was my goal. That means that now, while my girls are napping, I get to do fun Christmas preparations like wrapping gifts (which I really do enjoy), displaying the Christmas cards we've received, sorting out stocking stuffers, baking cookies, etc. I wish I had a week to do just those fun, Christmas things, but I only have 3 days. At least I have 3 days.
How do I feel?
I feel better for having exercised today. I'm happy that my husband is home for the next 4 days, through Christmas. I need to take advantage of Nick being home and exercise each of those days! Hmm, that'd be a good idea. I've been discouraged about my lack of exercise regime this month. . . Looking back, I have managed to exercise 4 days each week of this month, but I feel like it's been by the skin of my teeth. The main thing I'd say is that it's been a struggle to exercise this month, and it's always on my mind. In the past months, I was finished with exercise before I even had my morning coffee, so it was never an issue. Hmm, I guess waking up 0n the cold, dark mornings to exercise does have it's benefits: I was in better shape and never had to think about when I was going to exercise.
I was woken up at 5:30 by a combination of uncomfortable factors which also prevented me from falling back asleep: the noise of Nick snoring a little, the crowded feeling of 4 of us in one bed(!), and the need to use the bathroom. So, unfortunately, once again, I didn't sleep enough last night. I'll try again tonight . . .
Water
Hmm, gotta get on the water bandwagon; I haven't drunk much yet today, even though I worked out! Fortunately, I still have plenty of time today to catch up on that.
Eating
Nick made waffles for breakfast -- yummy! I like to dip them in yogurt, instead of smothering them with syrup. Sometimes I dip them in applesauce, but we're out of it at the moment. Had leftover make-your-own-burritos for lunch. Burritos are one of those foods, like pizza and hamburgers, that seems so much healthier if you make them yourself than if you buy them anywhere. Homemade, I know exactly what's in them; I use fresh, healthy ingredients, etc. I ate a couple "little cuties" too; my family loves those little tangerines. . .
Exercise
Since I've been so bad about exercising this week, I did double duty today: I went on a walk with a friend, then did a toning workout. The walk isn't much of a workout; it doesn't get my heart pounding, but it does get my legs moving. But it was nice to catch up with a friend. Otherwise, this week, I did one cardio workout and one toning workout. I'll workout tomorrow too, something to get my heart pounding.
Tranquility
It's the Saturday before Christmas, and I 've finished my Christmas shopping, which was my goal. That means that now, while my girls are napping, I get to do fun Christmas preparations like wrapping gifts (which I really do enjoy), displaying the Christmas cards we've received, sorting out stocking stuffers, baking cookies, etc. I wish I had a week to do just those fun, Christmas things, but I only have 3 days. At least I have 3 days.
How do I feel?
I feel better for having exercised today. I'm happy that my husband is home for the next 4 days, through Christmas. I need to take advantage of Nick being home and exercise each of those days! Hmm, that'd be a good idea. I've been discouraged about my lack of exercise regime this month. . . Looking back, I have managed to exercise 4 days each week of this month, but I feel like it's been by the skin of my teeth. The main thing I'd say is that it's been a struggle to exercise this month, and it's always on my mind. In the past months, I was finished with exercise before I even had my morning coffee, so it was never an issue. Hmm, I guess waking up 0n the cold, dark mornings to exercise does have it's benefits: I was in better shape and never had to think about when I was going to exercise.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Obligation vs. Desire
Sleep
I slept enough even though Zoe interrupted my sleep a lot. She kept Nick on the edge of the bed and I kept pulling her back towards me to give him more space. Stupid me, if she were in his way, he could have moved her out of it! Turns out, he didn't even know that he'd been obligated to sleep on the edge of the bed because of her desire to snuggle up with him!
Water
Today was a perfect example of how dehydration affects the body. I was out and about most of the day, doing various things, and I came home knowing I was dehydrated. But I felt more than thirsty; I felt sleepy, lacking in energy, short-tempered, and had parched lips. All because I didn't drink enough while I was out and about!
Eating
I certainly ate a lot of delicious, healthy food, but whether I fulfilled all my body's nutritional obligations, I don't know. I didn't keep track. Generally, I just try to think about what % of my eating was junk food, and if the % is low (10%) then I figure I ate well. I should probably keep better track of filling in my food circles on my SWEET Life Plan, if only I had the desire.
Exercise
Isn't it interesting that after a week of barely dragging myself out of bed to do my early morning exercises and after another week of coninually hitting "snooze" and not getting up to do my early morning exercises, once I decide to cancel the alarm and not exercise in the early morning, I wake up at 6:30 a.m. ready to exercise! It's amazing how desire is so much more motivating than obligation.
Tranquility
I got some tranquility but not enough. Maya slept well after our long day out and about, but it was cut short by the obligation to go pick up Zoe from daycare. Both Maya and I desired 1-2 hours more tranquility time before getting Zoe.
How do I feel?
I had a really fun day with Maya. We did this, that and the other, and she's just at a fun, capable age now (3 1/2). I don't need a diaper bag with her; we can do things rather quickly; she can run, obey and follow directions, etc. She's interested in knowing about the world and how it works in daily life, which means I can take her to fulfill some of my obligations and she has the desire to be there, learn about it, and help me in any way she can. It was great!
I slept enough even though Zoe interrupted my sleep a lot. She kept Nick on the edge of the bed and I kept pulling her back towards me to give him more space. Stupid me, if she were in his way, he could have moved her out of it! Turns out, he didn't even know that he'd been obligated to sleep on the edge of the bed because of her desire to snuggle up with him!
Water
Today was a perfect example of how dehydration affects the body. I was out and about most of the day, doing various things, and I came home knowing I was dehydrated. But I felt more than thirsty; I felt sleepy, lacking in energy, short-tempered, and had parched lips. All because I didn't drink enough while I was out and about!
Eating
I certainly ate a lot of delicious, healthy food, but whether I fulfilled all my body's nutritional obligations, I don't know. I didn't keep track. Generally, I just try to think about what % of my eating was junk food, and if the % is low (10%) then I figure I ate well. I should probably keep better track of filling in my food circles on my SWEET Life Plan, if only I had the desire.
Exercise
Isn't it interesting that after a week of barely dragging myself out of bed to do my early morning exercises and after another week of coninually hitting "snooze" and not getting up to do my early morning exercises, once I decide to cancel the alarm and not exercise in the early morning, I wake up at 6:30 a.m. ready to exercise! It's amazing how desire is so much more motivating than obligation.
Tranquility
I got some tranquility but not enough. Maya slept well after our long day out and about, but it was cut short by the obligation to go pick up Zoe from daycare. Both Maya and I desired 1-2 hours more tranquility time before getting Zoe.
How do I feel?
I had a really fun day with Maya. We did this, that and the other, and she's just at a fun, capable age now (3 1/2). I don't need a diaper bag with her; we can do things rather quickly; she can run, obey and follow directions, etc. She's interested in knowing about the world and how it works in daily life, which means I can take her to fulfill some of my obligations and she has the desire to be there, learn about it, and help me in any way she can. It was great!
Saturday, December 8, 2007
An unSWEETened Life
I have not been very good at living the SWEET Life this week. I've been a little sick, which has been gradually building throughout the week. Usually, I try to focus more on the SWEET Life when I start to feel under the weather, and that will prevent me from getting very sick, but this week it just hasn't happened.
Sleep
I have had such a hard time waking up all week. I just haven't been able to drag myself out of bed to exercise. Have I been staying up too late? I think I need to pay more attention to when I go to bed. I've been so tired in the mornings, but not necessarily the rest of the day/evening. The morning fatigue is making me rethink my morning exercise routine. I think I need to change the time of day that I exercise, rather than fight myself trying to get out of bed in the mornings. It's easier to get up if I'm meeting someone to exercise, but I generally don't.
Water
I haven't been paying much attention to my water intake, although I'm trying to drink enough. Since I'm feeling a bit sick, staying hydrated is especially important. I think I need to try harder or remember to fill my pitcher of water to drink throughout the day.
Eating
I haven't been paying much attention to what I've been eating lately either. However, it helps that I stocked up on groceries this week because having healthy food around is the first step toward eating healthy foods.
Exercise
Every night this week I set out my workout clothes so I could just crawl out of bed and they would be waiting for me, but this week I just haven't been able to go out and exercise at 6:30 a.m. I actually got dressed to workout on Tuesday, but then realized I had a sore throat. I got undressed and went back to bed. The one day I did exercise was Wednesday, when I was meeting a friend. I took an athletic walk this morning to make up for missing so many workouts during the week, and I'll try to do some toning exercises when the girls nap today. After a week with minimal exercise, I'm starting to feel like a blob, like the lack of exercise is starting to have a negative effect on my body. I've worked hard for this body; I don't want to give it up to laziness!
Tranquility
I certainly haven't gotten my fill of tranquility this week. For example, yesterday, the girls did tag-team napping, which means that one kid is always awake, and I never get a break from being Mommy. Tuesday was such a busy day that poor Maya only had the opportunity to nap for 1/2 hr., which means that's all the free time I had, too. Wednesday the girls both napped and I had free time to relax, do my own thing and be tranquil, but I need that every day, not only once a week.
How do I feel?
Well, I haven't had a very SWEET Life this week. I've been personally unproductive, with a growing pile on my desk. At the same time, I've been trying really hard to keep my house tidy, dishes washed, and laundry folded and put away. By last night, after a terrible day, I was too tired to tidy up the house before bed, so this morning, I woke up to a few dishes in the sink, a few toys around the house, a few shoes and jackets here and there, etc. It made me realize that it's worth the 15 minutes it takes to tidy up the night before to wake up to a tidy house the next morning.
Sleep
I have had such a hard time waking up all week. I just haven't been able to drag myself out of bed to exercise. Have I been staying up too late? I think I need to pay more attention to when I go to bed. I've been so tired in the mornings, but not necessarily the rest of the day/evening. The morning fatigue is making me rethink my morning exercise routine. I think I need to change the time of day that I exercise, rather than fight myself trying to get out of bed in the mornings. It's easier to get up if I'm meeting someone to exercise, but I generally don't.
Water
I haven't been paying much attention to my water intake, although I'm trying to drink enough. Since I'm feeling a bit sick, staying hydrated is especially important. I think I need to try harder or remember to fill my pitcher of water to drink throughout the day.
Eating
I haven't been paying much attention to what I've been eating lately either. However, it helps that I stocked up on groceries this week because having healthy food around is the first step toward eating healthy foods.
Exercise
Every night this week I set out my workout clothes so I could just crawl out of bed and they would be waiting for me, but this week I just haven't been able to go out and exercise at 6:30 a.m. I actually got dressed to workout on Tuesday, but then realized I had a sore throat. I got undressed and went back to bed. The one day I did exercise was Wednesday, when I was meeting a friend. I took an athletic walk this morning to make up for missing so many workouts during the week, and I'll try to do some toning exercises when the girls nap today. After a week with minimal exercise, I'm starting to feel like a blob, like the lack of exercise is starting to have a negative effect on my body. I've worked hard for this body; I don't want to give it up to laziness!
Tranquility
I certainly haven't gotten my fill of tranquility this week. For example, yesterday, the girls did tag-team napping, which means that one kid is always awake, and I never get a break from being Mommy. Tuesday was such a busy day that poor Maya only had the opportunity to nap for 1/2 hr., which means that's all the free time I had, too. Wednesday the girls both napped and I had free time to relax, do my own thing and be tranquil, but I need that every day, not only once a week.
How do I feel?
Well, I haven't had a very SWEET Life this week. I've been personally unproductive, with a growing pile on my desk. At the same time, I've been trying really hard to keep my house tidy, dishes washed, and laundry folded and put away. By last night, after a terrible day, I was too tired to tidy up the house before bed, so this morning, I woke up to a few dishes in the sink, a few toys around the house, a few shoes and jackets here and there, etc. It made me realize that it's worth the 15 minutes it takes to tidy up the night before to wake up to a tidy house the next morning.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Monthly Review of November
I totaled up my SWEET Life for the month of November. Below are some of the details.
Sleep
I don't sleep well; I haven't slept well; I need to sleep well! Last month I only slept well (7-8 hours) 18 out of 28 nights! (There were a couple days when I didn't keep track.) I didn't realize how inconsistently I slept until I tallied it all up! The main problems are that I stay up too late and wake up early to exercise. I'm interrupted by my kids during the night, but how much that prevents me from sleeping varies. Sometimes the interruption is so brief that it doesn't really affect my sleep, but I seem to remember many times last month when I couldn't fall back asleep after being woken up during the night. It's a really difficult tug-of-war between going to bed at 10:00 and getting a few little things done before bed a little later.
Water
I generally drink plenty of water. Some days I don't fill my pitcher and drink it all, but I think about how often I filled a glass and drank it, and then I guess if it was enough.
Eating
Like water, I often guess how well I ate throughout the day, rather than keep track. I know that I generally eat healthy and don't eat junk food, but I think I probably need to eat more veggies.
Exercise
I had a good exercise plan going: running M, W, F and toning Tu, Th. The problem is that lately I've burned out. The early morning darkness and cold don't help. I need a new exercise plan, but I don't have it yet. I know I could go to the gym, but that seems like so much more hassle than just running out my door or toning in my family room. This is definitely an area where I've seen surprising improvement over the past few months, so I can't let it fall by the wayside now, even though there are no physical improvements I want to make to my body.
Tranquility
I often get tranquility during the day. My girls have been napping consistently during the week, and the weekends my husband is home, so I have time to myself. This is an area that has definitely improved in recent months. I used to really have to make the time for relaxation; but now it's pretty much built into my day.
How do I feel?
I'm just starting to get sick, a little sore throat, so I'm impressed that I've felt fine today, despite feeling run down this morning. However, I did not have a very SWEET Life today. I stayed up a little too late watching a TV show with my husband, even though I wanted to go to sleep, so I don't think I got quite enough sleep. I didn't pay attention to my water-consumption. I ate pretty well; going to Costco to stock up helps. I didn't exercise (and haven't since Saturday) because my throat was sore. And I didn't get any tranquility today because I've been busy all day. So now (10:00 p.m.) is the first time I've had to sit down and relax. I think I'm going to fall asleep very quickly tonight. I don't expect to feel better tomorrow, considering the day I had today (i.e., no chance to take care of my impending disease).
Sleep
I don't sleep well; I haven't slept well; I need to sleep well! Last month I only slept well (7-8 hours) 18 out of 28 nights! (There were a couple days when I didn't keep track.) I didn't realize how inconsistently I slept until I tallied it all up! The main problems are that I stay up too late and wake up early to exercise. I'm interrupted by my kids during the night, but how much that prevents me from sleeping varies. Sometimes the interruption is so brief that it doesn't really affect my sleep, but I seem to remember many times last month when I couldn't fall back asleep after being woken up during the night. It's a really difficult tug-of-war between going to bed at 10:00 and getting a few little things done before bed a little later.
Water
I generally drink plenty of water. Some days I don't fill my pitcher and drink it all, but I think about how often I filled a glass and drank it, and then I guess if it was enough.
Eating
Like water, I often guess how well I ate throughout the day, rather than keep track. I know that I generally eat healthy and don't eat junk food, but I think I probably need to eat more veggies.
Exercise
I had a good exercise plan going: running M, W, F and toning Tu, Th. The problem is that lately I've burned out. The early morning darkness and cold don't help. I need a new exercise plan, but I don't have it yet. I know I could go to the gym, but that seems like so much more hassle than just running out my door or toning in my family room. This is definitely an area where I've seen surprising improvement over the past few months, so I can't let it fall by the wayside now, even though there are no physical improvements I want to make to my body.
Tranquility
I often get tranquility during the day. My girls have been napping consistently during the week, and the weekends my husband is home, so I have time to myself. This is an area that has definitely improved in recent months. I used to really have to make the time for relaxation; but now it's pretty much built into my day.
How do I feel?
I'm just starting to get sick, a little sore throat, so I'm impressed that I've felt fine today, despite feeling run down this morning. However, I did not have a very SWEET Life today. I stayed up a little too late watching a TV show with my husband, even though I wanted to go to sleep, so I don't think I got quite enough sleep. I didn't pay attention to my water-consumption. I ate pretty well; going to Costco to stock up helps. I didn't exercise (and haven't since Saturday) because my throat was sore. And I didn't get any tranquility today because I've been busy all day. So now (10:00 p.m.) is the first time I've had to sit down and relax. I think I'm going to fall asleep very quickly tonight. I don't expect to feel better tomorrow, considering the day I had today (i.e., no chance to take care of my impending disease).
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Exercise Burn-Out
Sleep
I'm a bit fuzzy on how much sleep I got last night. I just remember feeling very sleepy last night after coming home from work at 9:30 and having a beer with my late dinner. Because of that I think I went to bed early, but I don't remember the time. Zoe, as usual, woke up screaming her pretty little head off in the middle of the night because she was cold. I brought her into my bed and she kicked around for a bit before falling asleep. This morning, I was too tired to get up and exercise (same thing yesterday), and we all slept in until about 7:30. It seems to me I must have gotten 7-8 hr sleep out of all that.
Water
I tried harder today to pay attention to how much water I drank. I hadn't been very good about keeping track for the past few days.
Eating
I'm also paying more attention and using the SWEET Life Plan to track my food intake these days because I hadn't been very consistent about doing that.
Exercise
Once again I was both too tired to get up and exercise, and I'm feeling a bit burned out on my workout. Both yesterday and today I found time during my girls' naps to exercise, fortunately. But that won't be a consistent, stable situation. If I'm burned out, then maybe I should change my workouts. It's getting really hard to get up in the cold, dark mornings. Last winter I had a couple friends whom I worked out with, so we motivated each other to get up. The winter before, I was pregnant and on bed rest. The winter before that I had a very portable baby who took a lot of jogs and walks with me during the daytime. Hmm, I'll have to think more about what will get me out of a nice, warm bed on a cold, dark morning to exercise. . .
Tranquility
I'm very motivated to get my website (livingthesweetlife.net) up and running. I spent 2 hours of my "free time" transferring info from documents to a website creator. It felt good to get 6 pages done, at least in rough draft form.
How do I feel?
I have a lot of little things to do to keep up with life, but I also need some time to think about how to revise my exercise plan so that I'll keep doing it.
I'm a bit fuzzy on how much sleep I got last night. I just remember feeling very sleepy last night after coming home from work at 9:30 and having a beer with my late dinner. Because of that I think I went to bed early, but I don't remember the time. Zoe, as usual, woke up screaming her pretty little head off in the middle of the night because she was cold. I brought her into my bed and she kicked around for a bit before falling asleep. This morning, I was too tired to get up and exercise (same thing yesterday), and we all slept in until about 7:30. It seems to me I must have gotten 7-8 hr sleep out of all that.
Water
I tried harder today to pay attention to how much water I drank. I hadn't been very good about keeping track for the past few days.
Eating
I'm also paying more attention and using the SWEET Life Plan to track my food intake these days because I hadn't been very consistent about doing that.
Exercise
Once again I was both too tired to get up and exercise, and I'm feeling a bit burned out on my workout. Both yesterday and today I found time during my girls' naps to exercise, fortunately. But that won't be a consistent, stable situation. If I'm burned out, then maybe I should change my workouts. It's getting really hard to get up in the cold, dark mornings. Last winter I had a couple friends whom I worked out with, so we motivated each other to get up. The winter before, I was pregnant and on bed rest. The winter before that I had a very portable baby who took a lot of jogs and walks with me during the daytime. Hmm, I'll have to think more about what will get me out of a nice, warm bed on a cold, dark morning to exercise. . .
Tranquility
I'm very motivated to get my website (livingthesweetlife.net) up and running. I spent 2 hours of my "free time" transferring info from documents to a website creator. It felt good to get 6 pages done, at least in rough draft form.
How do I feel?
I have a lot of little things to do to keep up with life, but I also need some time to think about how to revise my exercise plan so that I'll keep doing it.
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