Tired and Burned Out

This is how I feel.  It started about a week ago.  I came into work and one person asked me if I was sick because I didn't look like I felt good.  About ten minutes later someone asked me if I was tired.  I'm not a perky person, but I like to think that I don't show up to work already looking half dead (everyone knows that's how you look at the end of a shift here).

Then, a few days later, the new schedule came out and I saw I was scheduled for a stretch of eight days in a row, with a solitary day off before the stretch starts and another single day off at the end of the stretch.  Yuck.  I work the afternoon shift, so I have my mornings free, but that many days in a row is enough to drain any energy from me just thinking about it.

I haven't felt very creative this past week and have just been doing laundry, dishes, and trying to keep the cat hair buildup to a minimum.  I know everyone says you need to keep creating even when you feel tired, but it's hard for me to feel like creating if my house is gross.  But creating gives a person energy, and not creating makes you feel more tired. 

The final straw came yesterday.  I had to work a day shift, which means being at work at an hour when I'm normally still sleeping.  Today, I woke up feeling bone tired.  And with a baby headache that has been steadily growing as the morning progressed.

Here's my action plan for days when I just feel cruddy.

1. Don't skip coffee.  Sometimes a little caffeine can numb the headache.
2. Eat real food.  On days like this, granola bars and junk foods are out.  I made a pot of broccoli and cheese soup.  Enjoy some comfort food or at least homemade hot cocoa.
3. Get some fresh air.  It's still warm enough to open the windows and let the breeze in.  I went outside and sat on the steps for a while enjoying the crispiness.  A walk is also a good choice
4.  Keep up on easy tasks.  I always choose laundry and dishes.  Luckily, with only two people in my house, it's not too hard, but at least that way you feel like your making progress. 
5. Play some music. I'm taking full advantage of Pandora streaming from my TV and streaming some early 2000s stuff I haven't listened to for a while.
   
   But, I'm still tired and a few hours from now I have to be to work for my afternoon shift.  So, we're moving on to number six...
   
6. Give yourself permission to be lazy.  Take a nap or a bath.  Curl up on the couch and stream some mindless TV or lay in bed reading a book.  Sometimes your body just wants to rest.  And you have to let it.  If you can't pull yourself out of the funk, don't force it.  One day (or morning) spent resting is often all it takes to recharge my batteries.

 Hope you all are having happy productive days and if you're not, give yourself permission to go to bed early, soak in a nice hot bath, or put your PJs on as soon as you get home.  Everything will seem better in the morning.