When you are too tired, remember that resting clears the mind.
Often, we get too overtired because we are busy running from one thing to the next. When we run ourselves into the ground, our body quits on us. This is because our mind tells us the body needs a break.
The problem is that many people ignore the subtle cues that say, ‘it’s time to rest.’ They keep on going and push themselves past their limit and then wonder why their body failed them.
Even I am known to do this once in a while. This past summer, the cost for not heeding the warning signs was high. I spent a day and a half kneeling, cleaning the weeds and dirt out from between the paving stones on my driveway and walkway. On the second day my knee began to hurt. This is a knee I had injured in my early 20s. I know when it starts to ache, it is time to stop. Instead of stopping I went inside and got a towel to put on my kneeler so I could finish one more section before quitting. The consequence was my knee went one way and my leg the other. I have been paying for it ever since and am just now starting to get back to normal after many tubes of Voltaren, trips to the chiropractor, exercising it, etc.
I missed out on quite a bit because I couldn’t walk far, ride my bike, play in my garden, dance (which I love to do) and many other things. Had I only listened to the signal my body was sending, I could have waited a few days and finished the walkway and then enjoyed all the things I missed out on.
The same is true for our thoughts when we get tired. Our thinking becomes muddled, we make poor decisions and even can become short-tempered. There is a feeling your brain gets when it is overtired; a heavy, fuzzy or foggy feeling. Everyone gets it, and a lot of people ignore it and keep going.
The consequence of continuing when your brain is tired is that you make mistakes. It is that simple. You need to recognize this and act accordingly by giving your brain (and your body) the rest is needs.
Another result of your brain being too tired is that your reaction times are slower. If you are a multi-tasker like me, you get frustrated because you can’t work at the pace you are used to or desire. Even single-task workers find it more challenging to function at 100% when they are out of energy.
A car won’t run on an empty tank, and neither will you. Once the fuel is gone, things quickly stop functioning until you refill the tank. In this case, you must rest and refuel your brain
Once rested, you can go back to your regular routine. The key is to find a better balance so that you do not run yourself into the ground again or ignore the warning signals when you get tired.
Many falls or accidents have occurred because a person was too tired. Multi-million dollar errors have been made because exhaustion prevented a small detail to be missed. The list is endless as to what can occur when one is too tired.
You are the one who knows your body best, so it is up to you to decipher the signals and recognize when you need to stop and take a break.
There are times we need to stretch ourselves and times we need to stop to prevent injury. Don’t wait, or you will not recognize the signs. It is better to rest and return than injure yourself or make mistakes. Know the difference and never forget that resting clears the mind.
Free inspirational or motivational posts can be found on the inspirational page of Leslie’s website.