Energy and Exhaustion

Lately I’ve been feeling more and more exhausted as things get really busy in my business.While I’ve been incredibly productive in some ways I’m slacking in others. For example,

• reaching out to dozens of clients, leads and colleagues
• filling my practice, serving private clients and getting great results
• frequently messy house that desperately needs routine cleaning
• complete failure at cooking meals
• spending time with the dogs at the park a few times a week
• haven’t gone back to the gym since their jacuzzi broke a few weeks ago

Most of the time it feels like I’m failing in far too many areas than where I’m succeeding. On the weekends that I work for 2 days it feels overwhelming and I go into Monday exhausted. If I take the weekend “off” to work on photography, sleep in or work around the house then I feel guilty.

Last night I went out to a birthday party and hanging out with friends old and new was a great break from the computer:

Each week I make a point to meet up with my friend Ana,

or Lily,

so we can work on our businesses and record videos together. That feels balanced and I always have more energy after two or three of us get together for a few hours.

While I have dozens of half finished projects at home I lack both the time, money and energy to complete them. Which makes me feel like a slacker.

It’s tempting to compare our low energy times with the brilliance that other bloggers put out there. Most people post about the great things, a dinner out, new purchases, great experiences. Even in the Facebook economy we don’t talk much about the mundane.

So what do you do when everyone out there seems to have a more fabulous, exotic and productive life?

I prefer naps.

In fact, I was convicted lately when I jokingly replied to someone who asked how I get it “all” done when I said “I don’t sleep.” Which could not be further from the truth. I sleep at least 8 hours a night, sometimes more.

Now, I justify this intense time investment because 2-3 mornings a week I have vivid, clear dreams about my client’s businesses, often creating marketing campaigns and implementation plans when I’m asleep. These mornings I wake up inspired and writing ten miles an hour to get it all written down.

But, the truth is I’m not productive because I don’t sleep. I can be productive (in some ways) because I don’t watch tv, I don’t go shopping and I don’t cook or clean much.

I’ve known and accepted for years that I’m an incredible Type A personality. Even when I take timeoff, like the party last night, I end up doing something more. Taking pictures to add to my photography blog, networking around my business, writing myself notes of things to accomplish when I get home. Yeah, even my relaxing time at home is spent researching, working on projects or gardening.

I tell ya, it’s a sickness. When I was 14 I came down with mono and spent an incredibly boring 3 weeks at home recovering. Torture, absolute torture.

So I guess I’d rather be busy, even when I’m looking at all the things that haven’t been done and stressing myself out. On days like today I just do the next thing I can which means right now I’m going to wash the car.

About these ads