Have you had those mornings where you wake up feeling utterly exhausted? I definitely have! It has been a goal of mine to make sure I'm getting enough sleep every night so that my body isn't tired when I wake.
There is more to waking up feeling tired. I often find that we confuse being physically tired with having hit a point of burnout. Maybe the feelings you are dealing with in the morning have little do with your sleep habits, and everything to do with your mind habits.
If you are rolling out of bed each day already feeling defeated, it is no wonder you want to pull the covers over your head and dip out of existence for a while longer.
I want to give you 4 things you can do when you wake up feeling exhausted.
1. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
I know what you are thinking, "What does comparing myself to others have to do with exhaustion?"
Well, it has a lot to do with it! We can exhausted spending all day long trying to live up to what we think everyone else is doing.
Have you ever thought: What is my problem? Why can't I get my act together? Why can't I be doing more? I should be doing more like that person over there. Look everything that person can do. Why can't I be like that?
We can exert so much mental energy beating ourselves up for not measuring up. This does nothing but make us more tired and worn out. As an introvert, I have a smaller capacity to go-go-go than extroverts do. I cannot just pour, pour, pour into other people all day long and not take time to slow down, breathe, and have some quiet.
By getting over the guilt of being an introvert, I can take the time I need to replenish myself which allows me to live life feeling much more refreshed and energized.
Accepting who I am has allowed me to understand that we all have different needs, and it is okay if I can't get as much done as someone else. Everyone has their struggles that they are dealing with. And that person whom I'm looking at and wishing I could be like is probably feeling like they don't measure up in some areas, too.
2. Replenish Your Supply
All of us have people whom we pour into on a daily basis. This could be your spouse, your kids, your co-workers, your extended family, your friends, and on and on the list goes. You have to be intentional about filling yourself up if you want to have something to pour out to others.
Filling yourself up might be:
- Reading a book you enjoy.
- Listening to a podcast that you find interesting.
- Playing uplifting music.
- Counting your blessings.
- Taking time to write in your journal.
- Enjoying a cup of coffee in the quiet.
What fills your soul? Give yourself permission to make that a priority.
I know you are thinking, "I have too much to do each day to spend time on myself". I get that, and for a long time I tried to run like crazy without filling myself up back up.
Guess what? My health took a toll, my marriage felt the strain, and my kids were getting leftovers instead of my best. I've been able to handle things so much better since I find ways to rejuvenate myself each day.
How much of your day are you spending doing things that drain you? Are you doing anything in your day that puts life back in you?
Even if you take just 5 minutes a day to do something that energizes you, it is worth the effort. You'll be amazed at how much of a difference it can make!
3. Let Some Stuff Go
People ask me all the time how I get so much done in a day. Honestly? There are a lot of things I choose not to do so I can give more focus to a few things.
While I was writing and launching my book, Money-Making Mom, Jesse took over a lot of the cooking and menu-planning. He wanted to try it and we discovered that he's really good at it and really enjoys it.
My kids help out with laundry and daily cleaning. We pay to have a cleaning service come in once a week and deep clean our house. And we recently hired on a mother's helper to come in two mornings a week to help with tasks around the house, watch the kids while Jesse and I have meetings, oversee some of the homeschooling (she has her degree in education!), and to even enable Jesse and I to get in a lunch date now and then.
I can't do it all. I don't do it all. In order to say "yes" to something, you are saying "no" to something else. Figure out what your main priorities are, and let some of the other stuff go.
4. Give Yourself Grace
Finally, give yourself grace. There is no way you are going to get everything done in a day. No matter how much you accomplish, there will always be other projects and tasks that need to be completed in the days to come.
Instead of focusing on all of the things that you didn't get done, focus on your progress. Celebrate what you accomplished -- not what you didn't get done.
Give yourself some breathing room in life. Even if you have a mountain of things that need to be done, take a few minutes to rejuvenate yourself. In order to break the vicious cycle of feeling exhausted all of the time, you will need to learn your limits and stick within them.
What helps you on those days when you wake up feeling exhausted?
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