Do you ever feel like you should be working harder?
OR are you constantly plagued with guilt for not taking care of yourself as well as you could be?
Is it hard to remember the last time you got a massage, manicure, or even a haircut?
The push-pull between propelling yourself to work really hard and taking care of yourself can make or break your health, and your weight loss efforts (if that’s your goal).
On Sunday I had a push-pull scenario of my own: I had a writing project I could work on, and although it was Sunday I actually felt like it (you read that right), but then I felt guilty for not taking at least one full day off, since I had worked on Saturday.
In the world of health and wellness, the internal pressure to have perfect self-care has become as strong as the pressure to work hard.
Sometimes, it’s ok to go full-out with work even if it’s a Sunday. Other times, you hit the spa twice as hard.
I know you’re an ambitious person who needs to be at optimal health to do your best work and show up fully in the world, and that’s why the ebb and flow between hard work and self-care can be challenging, and shockingly, very taxing on your health.
When you’re in a constant state of indecision and even guilt, your stress response activates.
If you’ve been hanging out here for a little while, you know that an engaged stress response means elevated hormones like cortisol, digestive issues, skin flare ups, muscle aches, and more.
So what’s the answer?
There’s actually a way to know if you should work harder or take that spa day.
If you can answer YES to at least one of these questions, rock on with your ambitious, hard-working self:
- Do you feel genuinely excited and energized when you think about the work project in question, even if it’s the weekend? If so, go for it.
- Have you been in a similar situation and finished the project feeling alive, fulfilled, and bursting with even more creative ideas? While also feeling relaxed and nourished? Then it’s a yes.
- Has your self-care been consistent and deeply-satisfying? If so, onward with the work thing.
On the other hand, if you can answer YES to this set of questions, it actually is time for a spa day (no, you’re not over-indulgent or lazy):
- Have you been feeling chronically anxious and stressed out?
- Have you been losing things, hurting yourself (like tripping or stubbing your toe), and forgetting appointments? These seemingly-random things are directly linked to the nervous system and a clear call for a reboot. When your stress response is overactive, your balance is literally thrown off and it’s harder to focus. The nervous system controls these functions, and it needs TLC. Go. Spa. Now.
- Do you feel refreshed when you wake up in the morning? Or like you barely slept at all? Do you reach for coffee and trudge to work reluctantly? This means your internal organs are not fully resetting and replenishing because your overactive nervous system isn’t allowing you to reach a deep state of sleep. Take the day off and do something relaxing for yourself. Quick ideas: spa, hot bath at home, massage, manicure, pedicure, meditation, nap. Or all of the above. YES.
When your nervous system is overstimulated it means your body is producing the stress hormone cortisol which is linked to excess belly fat, digestive disorders, skin issues like acne, and anxiety, to name a few.
When you engage your nervous system’s relaxation response through self-care, your body produces happy hormones like serotonin which support metabolism and therefore weight loss and vibrant health.
If you want to dive deeper into striking a natural balance between consistently producing incredible work you’re proud of and taking amazing care of yourself, email me at lula@lulabrown.com and we’ll talk.
So what’s up with you today? Have you been leaning in the direction of too much work or too much relaxation?
Could you use an exciting, invigorating new project, or a day at the hot springs?
Which would support high-level health for you, and weight loss, if that’s your goal?
Leave a comment below and tell me – I can’t wait to hear from you.
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P.S. Curious to hear a little bit about my eating disordered days? Click here.
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