Push through or rest?

I do know the answer here - when I'm exhausted I should rest...but I will be back at work next week and I'm sure that part of this bout is pushing through when my body is saying "hey, you need to rest"

Anyone got any thoughts on this?

I'm seeing occupational health who I consider to be as useless as a chocolate teapot before I start work who will suggest "relaxation exercises, exercise, regular sleep, healthy diet" - like I haven't been living with this all my life. I'm now planning to quit my job and repatriate to my own country but need to make it until 1 July when the cat in the above picture will have his clearance to travel. Any tips to get through?

[crazycara]

I know it seems hard but the only thing you can do is wait, and I guess while you're waiting you might as well try and relax. Or do something nice for yourself, watch your favourite tv series? A film? Cook yourself a nice meal? that sort of thing x

[Hidden in reply to crazycara]

Yeah, need to set the micro goals. And a good reward schedule. Good news is I had my first proper laugh in months (was watching Big Bang Theory and one scene was so reminiscent of a date I had once ) a couple of nights ago.

Today I need to go and find cat food. I have a cat with a cereal allergy and we are out of his usual biscuits. Otherwise there might be a daily mail headline "cereal free owner eaten by cat!"

[crazycara in reply to Hidden]

haha I know what you mean, it's good that you laughed, and yes definitely the small goals and rewards will help in the long run. I'm trying my new diet today (the 5:2 diet) if you've heard of it? I'm excited and nervous, I get to go cook some healthy recipes in a bit, I love cooking. Hopefully this will help me lose weight in the long run and to a healthier lifestyle.

Oh no, get that cat some biscuits! lol x

[Hidden in reply to crazycara]

I would struggle on the 5:2 - I got withdrawn from a research study once because my baseline results were so NOT diabetes prone that I was skewing the other data - it explained why I need to eat very regularly.

You know those Innocent Vege Pots? Two of those a day = 800kcal - perfect for your 2 days. I've worked out the recipes for a couple of them if you would like copies.

[Photogeek in reply to Hidden]

Helen I would love those recipes. I'm trying to eat

As healthy as I can. No hurry with recipes.

Hannah x

[crazycara in reply to Hidden]

Hey, yeah I would love some more recipes, I brought the 5:2 recipe book, but I love cooking and want so many recipe books! haha so that'd be fantastic! I'm only allowed 417 calories today... boo, but hopefully it's all for a good cause! x

[Photogeek in reply to crazycara]

Hi CC how are you, good luck today. I like cooking too so be good to yourself too.

H x

[crazycara in reply to Photogeek]

Hey, I'm ok, how are you? Thanks for the luck, need it - I boredom eat all the time =[ x

[Photogeek]

Helen I love your cat picture Hope your well and I. Have a lovely fluffy semi long haired

Rescue cat. Had a photo of her on my profile earlier.

Your posts made me laugh and that's good.Gotta fly now.

Hannahx

[jules2105]

Hi Helen

I too go back to work and feel exhausted, think it's because I pushed myself to get things done yesterday. Not going to let this stop me though got loads to do, including counselling appt today. Think you are brave quitting your job and moving back home, wish I had somewhere to escape to. When I have a long wait I try to organise lots of small trips/ nights out so I have something to look forward to.

Jules x

Ps I love your cat x

[Hidden in reply to jules2105]

I couldn't contemplate repatriation without a very supportive family. One "advantage" of all of us having mental health issues.

My initial stop will be with either my Mum or Bro or 2ndSis and I will do whatever work I can pick up (nannying, caregiving, farm labour, housework)

Once settled, then I can do the serious work of considering what I do long term.

The tiredness is so hard to explain to anyone who has never had it. I could hear my boss just not getting that I'm not reliably able to stay awake a whole day yet.

[Gambit62]

My boyfriend always tells me to do what you can do and don't do what you can't do - which is really irritating but I love him all the same ... and on one level there is some truth in it.

Try to take things one day at a time or even one hour or one minute at a time. Best to take regular breaks - don't have to be long breaks - just a few minutes - if you use a VDU then play along with the exercises - not sure how often it is that you are supposed to look away and do something else but it's surprising frequent.

Try to give yourself a bit of variety and the moment you sense yourself getting anxious ask yourself if you can put that activity on one side for a while and do something else.

Often we are our own worst enemies because we always want to do a good job when an adequate job will probably do but I know it's really hard to stop yourself from going that extra mile but sometimes it's good to ask yourself if it is really worth it - remember the 80/20 rule - 80% of a good job is done in 20% of the time ... so is it really worth spending that additional 80% of your time on just improving things by 20% - or is there someone that you can delegate that bit to that would really love the attention to detail etc that might bore the hell out of you.

The big thing is not to beat yourself up because you aren't wonder woman and you can't achieve the impossible.

[Hidden in reply to Gambit62]

I'm thinking of getting an OH agreement to install a "work pause" reminder programme on my server profile, plus I'm going to say that I will only work at other bases on two days of each week.

If they will install a work pause programme, I plan to only take emails 10 minutes in the hour and phone messages too.

My clinical work will be more structured with limits on new patients and I'm thinking I might institute a rule of "no intervention until your doc has chased up on certain tests