Pursuing Balance & Joy

Downtime

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Hi, friends! I have hit my wall. One thing I have always known about myself, and never liked, is that I require significant downtime. When there are people around, I feel I have to be on. I’m the mom. I’m managing things. I’m doing things. I’m the one everyone expects to tell them what’s going to happen next. That’s how it works. That’s how it’s always worked.

I’m not complaining. I know people expect this from me because it’s what I deliver. It’s part of who I am. I’ve been the mom since shortly before I turned 18. I love being the mom–most of the time.

The problem is that being the mom is sometimes really tiring. It wears me out. As a result, I need downtime to recover. If I don’t get it, I don’t just get tired; I get exhausted. I get to the point of having nothing left to give.

I’m there.

The weekend in Chicago with part of my family, having my son stay with me in the tiny Chicago apartment 2 weeks, working, working out, eating (yeah, I know that shouldn’t be so difficult), etc…it has all caught up with me. God bless Tom for understanding that at one point last night, I just couldn’t even talk on the phone anymore. I slept about 7 hours again (not enough).

I skipped my workout this morning because I needed the extra sleep to get to 7 hours. I also haven’t been making the best food choices so working out is taking more energy than it’s providing the last few days. (I’m working on that one today. I’m finally done taking people out to yummy, traditional, Chicago pizza, which will help immensely).

What I need right now is about a day to just sleep and relax. However, here’s my schedule the next couple days:

• Leave work at 1:00 today to travel home with my son
• Dinner tonight downtown with my dad and stepmom (and my honey!!!)
• Taking Dad and stepmom to our new home, where they will be staying with us a couple nights
• Working from home tomorrow (hopefully after a run in the morning but right now I have my doubts)
• BMV to get plates for the new car at some point tomorrow
• Really not sure what else for tomorrow, but I’ll have company at least most of the time
• Also really not sure what’s in store Saturday, but again, I’ll have company for most of it…I assume they’re leaving sometime Saturday but don’t really know

Sunday, I get my day. I just have to make it to Sunday. Sunday I can sleep. At least I can sleep through the morning. I have a 6:45 trip back to Chicago for work next week, but I’m just choosing not to think about that right now.

Does anyone else have that constant “on” feeling when there are people around? Is that just me?

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A Goal For August?

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

Hi, friends!

Yes, I ran this morning. Yes, it was hard. I did 10 minutes of super-intense intervals, 10 minutes of steady running, and 30 minutes or so of walking. At the end, I was glad I did it, but it really took a lot of talking in my head to get started and keep going. Some days are just like that.

I’m comtemplating a goal for August. Last November I set a goal of walking/running 100 miles in the month. (I rocked it, by the way.) I’m thinking of doing that again. Or maybe doing something else instead of that. Or in addition to that.

Hmm.

I want the goal to support both my stair-climbing and 5k preparation. I’m thinking something like 800 floors and 50 miles. That’s kind of a lot, right? Is it realistic? I think it might be.

I very well may have done more miles than that in July. Actually, I’m pretty sure I have. I know I haven’t done anywhere near that on the stairs though. I’ve done not-even 300 floors so far. (Yikes!) I would really have to step it up (so to speak) to climb 800 floors in August.

I almost want to say just the 800 floors and let the miles take care of themselves, but I know me too well. I’m such an all-or-none person, and I don’t want my stairs to take over my 5k prep. For one thing, the 5k is first. It’s in September, and that 30-minute time is moderately important to me. I thought I was getting close to hitting it, but then I figured out that my Nike+ sensor was off. I’ve switched to a GPS one, and I have a lot more work to do.

I’m going to ponder the 800 floors and 50 miles another day or two before I decide. I’m pretty sure that will be my August goal. Any thoughts?

Have an awesome today!

Posted in Exercise, Goals | Comments Off