A colleague I hadn’t seen in a while sparked some serious Summer envy. She was tanned and relaxed after an extended vacation at a Hawaii resort. By comparison, my last two weeks have been a chain reaction of Biblical proportions. Crazy hot temperatures but no air conditioning made me feel uninspired and wiped out. Then I was sidelined by four wasp bites from a hidden nest in the yard.
Still, all those mishaps had a silver lining. It became clear pushing myself to be my most productive wasn’t working. So instead, it was time to park on the couch and nurse my injuries and wounded pride!
Are you also ready to throw in the towel on a Summer that bears no resemblance to a picture-perfect Pinterest board? Then, stick around to find out why cutting yourself some slack—especially during the dog days of August—can be one of the healthiest acts of self-care you can do. Here’s the story of how fitness instructors take a day off without falling off the wagon.
You would never know it from the stream of upbeat, high-energy workout classes, but even fitness professionals have days when they just don’t feel like exercising.
Popular Peloton instructor Kendall Toole had some surprising advice about adjusting as your situation changes. She said, “You will always have to take care of your fitness, but the way you move your body will change. The things your body can do will change.”
Kate Lemere from Barry’s Chicago agreed that it’s unreasonable to expect you will constantly crush your last workout stats. Sometimes, just showing up may be the accomplishment.
She views her wellness with a whole person lens, stating, “We are living in unprecedented times, and therefore, our stress requires a different amount of bandwidth. My fitness has evolved to a very holistic state encompassing training, sleeping, therapy, meditation, journaling, and reading for relaxation. It’s not just about the workout. It’s about your peace of mind and quality of life.”
In the August series, Self-Care, One Step at a Time, we’re talking about small changes that can have a big impact. You might listen to the case study and think, I’m not worried about killing every workout, so how does this relate to soft skills?
You may not be concerned about acing a CrossFit competition, but what are your assumptions about your work performance? Do you constantly micro-manage yourself or have unreasonable expectations about crushing goals every day? Or do you apply the law of averages approach, where you measure results over time?
Let me share a secret I’ve learned from successful negotiators that may seem counter-intuitive: Cut yourself some slack. Intense negotiations and long days can wear out everyone’s mind and emotions. Shrewd negotiators keep their high standards but break for the day instead of continuing to push. They ask others for creative ideas about where their thinking or judgment may be flawed. Then they take that feedback and return the next day with a fresh game plan.
So, the next time you feel worn out or at the end of your rope, take a lesson from negotiators. Use soft skill How techniques like showing yourself compassion and making a smart choice to hold up. Taking recovery time is the way to combine maximum productivity with 360 degree wellness.
Now, let’s make it personal. Here are five benefits you can receive from slowing down and stepping back:
Don’t keep pushing when your mind, body, and emotions are begging for a break—that’s just a fast pass to burnout. Instead, set “do not disturb” status and cut yourself some slack.