Small steps to success
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose"
– Dr Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go!
It's that time of the year when everyone is feeling a little worn out. The array of public holidays that frequented the earlier months seem a distant memory, and although spring is here, there are still bouts of rain and wind that bring doubt and dismay.
Mental fatigue is excessive mental tiredness. While most of us are hit with mental fatigue from time to time, serious problems can come about from true mental fatigue, including reduced productivity, low performance at work, and impaired physical functioning.
Fatigue can come from too much work, an unhealthy diet, poor sleep habits, adrenal fatigue, thyroid and hormone imbalances, anxiety, depression, medication side effects, and more. These can be categorised into physical, mental, and spiritual tiredness.
In general, an indication of physical fatigue is waking in the morning with energy and finding yourself dragging in the afternoon. Waking up tired in the morning but getting more energy as the day progresses could mean emotional fatigue, and generalised fatigue could point to an overall lack of meaning or fulfillment - fatigue with spiritual origins. However, there are always exceptions.
Finding ways to recognise and deal with fatigue's damaging effects are important. There's no quick fix, but instead it requires a refuel and restoration of vitality. You can do this by finding balance of your mind, body and soul.
Body balance
To fight fatigue, first look at your diet, exercise, sleep and hydration levels. Making sure you have eight glasses of water a day, getting enough sleep, taking a short walk at lunchtime, and skipping sugary snacks could do wonders. It's also worth checking nutrient levels inside your body, such as vitamin D and iron.
Mental balance
No matter the mental burdens you are carrying, it's always an option to take a deep breath and stop to smell the flowers! This mental shift is as simple as remembering that you choose where you place your attention.
Your mind steers your stress gauge, so train your mind to think positively and focus on being present in the moment to family, friends and yourself. If you find that you're always late or feeling hurried, give yourself 10 to 15 minutes on either side of every commitment as "wiggle room." Set limits, learn to say no, and prioritise commitments.
Mental balance can also be affected by the people that surround you. Studies show that we have mirror neurons which trigger us to directly experience the emotional atmosphere of others. Reflect on the people in your life that drain you or bring you down, and make an effort to surround yourself with more positive relationships.
Soul balance
The challenge we face when finding balance in our soul is tapping into deeper layers within ourselves. Reflect on how you want to live, and which qualities and values you want to hold.
The soul is here for its own joy," says Persian poet Rumi, so think about how your life is filled with joy. Make choices to invest in a joy-filled life. Pay attention to areas where you find love, truth, beauty, intelligence, and harmony, and those aspects will expand in your life. Enable yourself to live the dream!
