10 small cleaning tasks to do when you feel overwhelmed
How to function on little to no sleep
I’m writing this after a bloody lovely night’s sleep. I drifted off quite easily at around midnight and when the alarm went off at 6am I didn’t have my usual morning thought; “Can I justify quitting my job today?”
I actually felt quite awake and ready to start the day. I know, weird right? Maybe you’re blessed with the morning motivation to get up early and bust out some yoga poses whilst the rest of us hit snooze for the ninth time, and if that’s the case then I’m truly happy for you… (I know you can sense my sarcasm so I’ll not labour this point any longer).
For the rest of us watching ‘morning routine’ videos on You Tube hoping that it will rub off on us, I say embrace your tiredness. It’s who we are now. There are however ways to cope on those days when sleep deprivation starts to get a little grating. I recently went to work on zero sleep (call it a social experiment) and have a few tricks up my sleeve on how to function when it happens you.
Vitamins
Vitamins are no substitute for a well balanced diet and exercise routine, but I like to think of my supplement intake as an insurance policy for days when I’m not feeling my best. This article from My Protein has a few interesting insights into which vitamins can specifically help with tiredness and fatigue, and includes a few of my favourites. It’s worth pointing out that many of these are available in Superdrug and they currently have a 3 for 2 offer on loads of them!
I don’t take a lot of supplements but there are a few I always have on hand. B12 is good for tiredness and injury related fatigue, and can increase stamina when taken over an extended period of time.
Many of us are Magnesium deficient and replenishing your stores can help improve the symptoms of chronic fatigue.
Without enough Zinc your cells are unable to properly utilise any other vitamins you consume, resulting in a severe energy drop. I like to take this daily.
Without Iron, your body has to work a whole lot harder to get the energy it needs, which can leave you feeling tired, weak, irritable and unable to focus. Sound familiar?
I also have a stash of Glucose Plus C which gives you an instant hit of Vitamin C when you need it most. It comes in an easy to use powder formula which I mix into my morning smoothie.
Minimal make up
I’m all for the zero make-up look when I’m feeling fresh, but after a sleepless night I find I need a little something to brighten up my tired looking chops. Eye drops are a lifesaver for bleary eyes and these Superdrug ones are cheap and easy to get hold of.
If you fancy something a little more luxurious I also highly recommend the Liz Earle Brightening Eye Treatment for a soothing and reviving treat for tired, puffy eyes. I know it is particularly popular with contact lens wearers.
Normally I’m too groggy to fuss about with brushes and beauty blenders, and this Garner BB Cream is perfect for applying the old fashioned way with my fingers. I’ve been searching for YEARS for the perfect lightweight foundation that gives that ‘barely there’ look and feel with enough coverage to last all day. I tried loads before I finally tried this Garnier one and was so glad to find that not only is the shade (extra light) perfect for my pale complexion but the formula is quick to apply and hydrating too.
After using this I normally just go in with my favourite concealer, fill in my brows and add enough highlighter to give me that ‘I definitely slept’ glow. I find the perfect amount of highlighter for this occasion is a fair to generous amount, obviously.
Careful with caffeine
If you’re trying to function on basically zero sleep then you will no doubt be reaching for a large cup of coffee or an energy drink as soon as you start your day. However coming from a person who not only LOVES coffee but is also highly sensitive to the stuff, I urge you to choose your poison carefully.
In my experience, consuming caffeinated beverages when I’m tired does not wake me up. Yes, it makes me more alert but it does not give me more energy or make me feel more rested.
As I’ve been diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder and have suffered from panic attacks in the past, drinking caffeine only serves to heighten the stress levels in my body at a time when it’s already struggling to function normally.
For this reason, I will always stick to decaf coffee when I’m tired. I have talked endlessly about my favourite decaf instant coffee, this Percol Columbia Instant Arabica which is HANDS DOWN the best decaf coffee I’ve ever encountered. It’s so good, I don’t even need to add milk or sugar. It’s that good.
So there we have it, my foolproof guide to acting like functioning human being when if feels physically impossible. What are your tips?
Includes PR samples
Why it’s hard to take sick days when you have depression
Quitting my job to recover from depression was a huge decision for me, but also one that I was confident making. I knew I needed complete rest and absolutely no stress to rebuild my life. However being unemployed brought its own problems and feelings of inadequacy, which in a funny way spurred me on to work on getting better and finding a job I could enjoy again.
Even now – years later – taking a sick day for my depression is something I really struggle with. I feel well most of the time, but when I relapse I feel like the world is coming to and end. I feel helpless and unmotivated.
It might seem clear to others looking in from the outside that a day off is the best medicine, but my train of thought is a little more difficult to navigate.
Being off sick causes feelings of guilt
When I feel a depressive episode hanging around ominously overhead, I have a bad habit of ignoring it for as long as possible. Most doctors or therapists would suggest taking a personal day – something that isn’t offered in my workplace – to nip the bad feeling in the bud by practising self-care.
Instead I normally power through the feeling of impending doom by casually throwing more stress at the situation by continuing to work, hitting the gym and working on my blog in the evening.
I inevitably burnout and need 48 hours of non-stop sleep and slothing around in dirty pyjamas, surviving purely on Hob Nobs and pizza.
Rest is essential during this period. But the problem for me is that as much as I despise going to work when I feel depressed, the feeling of being off sick is somehow marginally worse.
I feel useless. I feel like a ‘faker’. I feel like I’m being dramatic. I don’t feel like I deserve the time off. This isn’t necessarily a reflection of how others react to my mental illness, it’s really just a symptom of the illness itself.
Days off for my mental health make me feel like a failure, and don’t always make me feel better.
Depression makes me question every action I take and somehow twists it around to be a terrible decision, no matter what it is. It’s the nature of the beast.
Most employers don’t understand depression
If you think there’s no stigma around mental illness in the workplace then I’m afraid to say you’re a little naive. Even if you’re lucky enough to have a direct line manager who understands your situation and allows you time off no questions asked, you’re likely to know other people at work who are less accommodating.
People talk about me behind my back. I know they do. As much as I’d like to say that it doesn’t affect me, it does play a part in my decision to take a sick day when my depression is really bad.
I don’t want other people to think I’m lazy, even though I know I’m not. I don’t want them to think I’m faking, even though I know I’m not. I don’t want them to have to work extra hard to make up for my absence.
I don’t want to have the conversation of “how are you feeling?” once I return to work. I just don’t. I want to go to work and forget about my mental illness as much as possible.
So sometimes, going to work feeling awful is just an easier option.
It costs money
We all know that out health should be a priority. Does that stop us from drinking to excess every weekend? No. Does it stop us from stuffing our faces with sweets and popcorn at the cinema? No. Does is stop us from lying horizontal for six hours whilst we binge watch Netlfix? Absolutely not.
So when comes to taking sick days, sometimes money takes priority over more my mental health. That doesn’t mean I always value money over my health, but some days I just need the god damn money. I’ve got shit to do.
Maybe I’ve got a friend’s birthday coming up or a Father’s Day gift to buy. Maybe I ripped a hole in my work trousers and I need to buy a new pair.
As much as I’d love to take a personal day to get the rest I need and stop my symptoms getting worse, sometimes going to work and collecting a wage at the end of the week is the main priority.
Maybe things will change in the future and it’ll get easier for me to take rest when I need it, but for now it’s a tricky balancing act of many factors which are always changing.
Have you found it difficult to take sick days?
Why having snacks in my handbag keeps me calm (and other strange habits of an anxious mind)
I wouldn’t say I’m a homebody, but for some reason being far away from my house for an extended period of time makes me nervous. Maybe that does qualify me as a homebody. I’m not entirely sure.
Oh and by the way, when I say ‘extended period of time’ I mean anything over eight hours. My mind starts working overtime and I often get a tension headache because I’m so tense in my unfamiliar surroundings. I prepare for these scenarios the only way I know how; by calling on my extensive toolkit to help me in my time of need.
If you have anxiety then I reckon you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. If you don’t, then let me fill you in on some of the strange habits I’ve developed to cope with my anxiety disorder.
The Mary Poppins bag
To ensure I have everything for any possible scenario my handbag is always full. I carry painkillers (paracetamol and ibuprofen), anxiety medication, something to read (more on that later), pens, lip balm and snacks. Always with the snacks. For long days I’ll have my breakfast, lunch and a Clif Bar on hand to make sure I don’t get hungry and have a low blood sugar freak out, which is unfortunately standard behaviour for me. I’m sorry for what I said when I was hungry.
Being early is essential
On the rare occasion when I haven’t been able to pre-book a train ticket I’ll make sure to arrive in plenty of time. If I can be at the train station 45 minutes – an hour is better – before the train is due to depart then I’m happy. To be honest, I normally spend that time buying more snacks and painkillers to add to my emergency handbag stash so it’s time well spent if you ask me.
I’m generally the first to arrive at a party, assuming that the start time on the invitation is non-negotiable. I actually enjoy the calmness of an empty room before all the awkward chat begins with people I’ve never met. It also means I can find the seat nearest the door to ensure a speedy exit.
If I’m meeting friends in a pub and I’m arriving alone then it’s tricky. I want to be early but I don’t want to have to enter the pub alone, so I often find myself wandering around aimlessly peering into shop windows long after they’ve closed for the day. Anything to avoid sitting at the bar alone for 40 minutes before the rest of the gang make an appearance.
I use my book as protection
I do love reading, but not quite as much as I love being alone. I don’t enjoy talking to strangers, so having a book to use as a shield when someone tries to start up a conversation is perfect. I can just cover my face and ignore the shit out of them.
I can also highly recommend the book technique as a great way to send the ‘NOT TODAY’ signal when you’re in the break room at work.
There’s nothing wrong with hiding in the toilet
This might sound like a desperate last resort but it’s actually become quite common for me, and it’s really just my way of finding a safe space when I’m feeling anxious in a social situation.
If I feel emotional I generally just have a little cry in the nearest bathroom and take a few moments to gather my thoughts. I’m making it sound sad but it’s really a good thing, I promise. It’s a private spot to for me take a few deep breaths and call hubby for a chat if needed.
I book ahead
If I can pay for something in advance then you can bet I’ll do it. Why risk turning up unannounced when you can secure your place ahead of time? I have been known to book train tickets six weeks in advance just to feel slightly more at ease as the journey approaches.
I’m also keen on booking gym classes, networking events and tables in a bar if I’m meeting more than one other person. Having to make a group decision about what do to when you can’t find enough seats is not worth thinking about.
I’m glad I got that off my chest. Do you have any little habits that help ease your anxiety?
How fitness classes saved my mental health
I never thought I’d be one of those people who would say fitness changed my life. But here we are. I’ve exercised almost every day for the past five years and I don’t want to imagine a life without it because it makes me so unbelievably happy.
It all began with a Zumba class. I trudged along with my mum to a Saturday morning class and discovered the endorphin rush that comes from using your body to move. Really move. I couldn’t get enough of it and I’ve never looked back.
I found a structure to my day which I so badly needed.
When I was diagnosed with depression was told to take some time off work and that turned into almost an entire year of unemployment. Taking time off was absolutely the right call, as I needed some space to let my medication kick in as well as attend regular counselling sessions.
Apart from that and a weekly appointment with my GP I didn’t have much scheduled in my day. I would often sleep for more than twelve hours a night as my body and mind recharged, but when I was awake I would regularly go to fitness classes.
Booking into a Spin class at 7am just didn’t work for me. I was too tired and unmotivated in the morning, but by 5pm I was often full of nervous energy and felt the need to do something productive. I would book ahead to confirm my spot and this meant I was loosely committed to attending the class or I would have to pay a small fine. This worked wonders for me as I was held accountable in a small way for getting out of the house.
I ended up going to between 5-7 classes per week and it forced me to get dressed, socialise with others and get out of my own head for an hour or so. I know people will think that it’s crazy I found the motivation to do that when I was depressed, and I don’t really have a full explanation for that. I just did, and I’m so grateful for that.
I lost my identity and created a new one
Being off sick from work made me feel very vulnerable. The stigma around depression is still so rife that I wasn’t strong enough to tell most people why I wasn’t working. This led to anxiety in social situations because I felt I was going to be caught off guard at any moment and have to explain what my job was, or admit that I wasn’t working at all. I thought without a career title I had nothing to say.
Everyone has their own way of coping with depression, and I found fitness particularly helpful in my darkest moments. When I started going to fitness classes regularly, I tested out every different one I could find. I did Spinning, Zumba, Body Pump, Pilates, Yoga, Metafit and many others. I became quite knowledgable about strength training, fat burning and was also very physically fit. In fact, I was the fittest I’d ever been and that gave me a new sense of identity.
I felt I belonged to the fitness community, even when I couldn’t get out of bed before midday or keep my house clean. When I couldn’t stop crying for days or find the courage to talk to others, I still felt part of a world where – even if just for a few hours – I could thrive. In a fitness class I was just like everyone else. I was fit and able on the outside even if I was crumbling on the inside.
I suddenly realised that I could change my future, and take my career in a new direction.
Putting my career on hold to focus on my mental health was a huge decision. At the time I thought I would absolutely return to my career in catering to be a manager again. After a few months of being off sick, I realised how much my work life had been contributing to my unhappiness.
I wasn’t built to handle the stresses that came along with managing a team, thinking on my feet and having a vision for a department in an industry that ultimately I had no passion for. It’s not to say that everyone needs to be in love with the work they do, but I couldn’t hold a position of authority in a place where I really didn’t care about the outcome.
After going to fitness classes every day for a year I had the idea that I’d like a career in fitness. I knew most of my class fitness instructors by name and many of them encouraged me, and offered to let me shadow them when I started training.
I started off by looking at the options available. To take a group fitness class I would need to do the Exercise to Music qualification. Although I was interested, I was nervous about the idea of standing in front of a room full of people and remembering a routine whilst keeping in time and correcting everyone’s form. I wish I’d had the confidence to go for it at the time but I just wasn’t ready mentally.
The thought of training people one-on-one seemed way more approachable so I signed up for the Level 2 Gym Instructor course and passed. Not only was I pleased that I’d passed the exams, I couldn’t believe how far I’d come in terms of my confidence.
I did the course over five weekends in a place I’d never been before with people I’d never met. I finally realised that if I was brave enough I could do all the things that I’d been afraid to do because of my anxiety.
Since then I’ve moved to a new city 300 miles away from home, found a new job, secured writing work and taken my blog from a hobby to a real passion. I honestly believe that I owe it all to that first step in the right direction when I did a Zumba class. My only hope is that one day I have time to go back and do that Exercise to Music course and add another string to my bow.
Have you found fitness classes beneficial to your mental health? Check out my You Tube channel here!
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