Two Ways to Reenergize
by Katie Harding on May 23, 2022
“I’m tired.” It’s a reason, a leader explained, why some individuals are not regular attenders of small groups or other activities. And I get it. After coming home from the Midwest on a Tuesday night where we cared for our three grandchildren for five days, we, too, were so exhausted that we cancelled going to our Thursday night small group that week. “I feel so tired,” I told my husband. “My body is telling me I’m not as young as I used to be.”
When we are tired, it’s important to listen to our bodies and give them rest. Sometimes staying home and giving ourselves a night off is the best decision we can make. However, when tired becomes a way of life, the concern may not be our body but our schedule. There are many reasons why our schedules might make us tired, but here are two that are quite common.
One is that we are not getting enough sleep. I used to think all I needed was six hours of sleep, but that was until the pandemic happened and I started working from home. I stopped setting my alarm and realized my body actually needs six and a half to seven hours of sleep a night. Anything less leaves me operating at a deficit and desperately in need of a nap about 7:30 in the evening. I know several people who have an incredible amount of energy. It’s crazy to see how fast they move and how much they get done each day. But they all have one thing in common: They sleep at least eight hours a night, if not more. Every one of them. The amount of sleep they get at night directly impacts the energy they bring to their day.
“The amount of sleep they get at night directly impacts the energy they bring to their day.”
Another reason we are tired is because we try to pack too much into too little time. I am so guilty of this. We live in what’s been called a microwave society. We want to do everything fast so we have more time, but with more time, instead of giving ourselves more margin, we fill the extra time with more activity until our days are packed full. We focus on accomplishing tasks and getting things done without giving ourselves the margin to explore and enjoy our days.
Being with our three-year-old grandson recently drove this point home for me. When we went out for our daily walks, the goal, I learned, wasn’t to go around the block as quickly as possible but to enjoy the journey along the way. We stopped at each puddle to get the soles of our shoes wet so we could make footprints all over the sidewalks. We took the pathway down to the stream to watch it flow. We went in search of the sound when we heard chimes ringing in the air, and we counted how many homes had chimes hanging from their front porch. We collected rocks, gathered dandelion bouquets, and watched ants move. I was amazed at how rested and reenergized I felt after the walk because we allowed time for our imaginations to soar and creativity to occur.
Getting enough sleep and giving myself time to breathe can make all the difference in my days. What about you? When was the last time you slept without an alarm or took time to just sit and think or enjoy the beauty of God’s creation?