As a hardcore nerd, I often find myself "gathering data". Most of the time it's about some problem at work or the newest, shiniest gadget. (I think most married women on this blog can relate this to their husband's research for the TV) At home, I even went through a phase where I analyzed the hell out of my finances. I could quickly tell you what percentage of my net income I spent on haircuts over the last 2 years.
Obviously that's completely useless information. I eventually quit tracking that information. Now I spend 4 times as much on my haircuts and am much happier. Anyway, I digress...
The point is that the other day I was reading a very interesting book that took the assumption above (that I easily find myself heavily analyzing certain parts of my life) and asked why I wasn't doing it to the other "problems" in my life.
That got my interest for a minute and I grabbed my "Crap that Sucks in My Life" list. (yes, I actually have that list) One of the top 3 was "fatigue".
First, let me explain that I am generally a bit lazy to start with. Then, as if I needed another excuse, fatigue is a chronic symptom of virtually all Crohn's patients. Almost everyone fights with it throughout their life--partly because of the latent properties of the disease and compounded by surgeries removing parts of your body you kinda need.
For the past few years, it's been a struggle for me to stay active. When I get home, my ass gravitates to the couch and I rarely get up. On the weekends, I can build some momentum if I start-off right, but that momentum rarely continues past about 3 PM--then I'm back to the couch or sitting in front of the Internet.
So, I started doing some detailed research. After about 30 minutes, I had a good starting point. I had 3 things I wanted to start with. 3 changes I could make with virtually no effort. Then I had a plan to document, chart and experiment from there.
But then the most unexpected thing happened. My energy level went up by like 30% the next morning. I felt refreshed as soon as I woke up. I didn't make any coffee for myself before leaving for work. I didn't yawn all day. Yeah, my ass made it to the couch that night, but I wasn't as drained as usual.
After continuing those 3 changes through the weekend, it got to the point that Saturday night I was still wide awake at 2 AM and couldn't talk myself into going to bed.
This morning, I woke up just before the alarm and went into the office a couple of minutes early.
Part of me just wants to cry. All this time, it might have been that easy to feel this much better. But the rest of me wants to grab that notebook and see how much farther I can go.
5 comments:
All that and you never said what the three things were...
Yeah, I purposefully didn't mention what they were since I thought they probably only apply to me. But, as simple as they are:
1) A couple of ways to get a better night's sleep (no TV, in bed by 10:30 at the latest)
2) Eat a "real" breakfast every morning. I'm not saying it's extremely healthy yet, but it's more than a Nutrigrain bar and coffee. "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and supper like a pauper."
3) B-complex vitamin. (Crohn's patients that have had the same parts of their small intestines removed that I have often have B vitamin defincies)
Yeah, it's stupidly simple. I really didn't expect the results to be that easy to achieve.
I love the way your mind works. :)
I can never go to bed that early. that's impinging on MY time, if you follow. :(
The problem I have with doing those same things you mention is that it comes and goes in waves... (as they say at AA) it works when you work it. I lose the energy or get distracted one night, and it's hard to build the momentum again the next day. Good luck with that.
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