Who's Stealing My Energy?

Hot summer days really makes for lazy summer days, but I can't blame it on the warm weather in the winter can I? How about dreary, dull days makes for lazy winter days? I don't think that works either. So what's my problem? Lack of iron maybe? Not enough sleep? Poor diet? Not enough exercise? Maybe and maybe all of the above.

Honestly, keep me occupied and I'm interested and wide awake. Be boring and I can guarantee I will fall asleep in between someone's mid-sentence. Car rides lulls me to sleep like it does for babies. It's a horrible way to live your life each day. Who wants to sleep their life away? I certainly don't!

I seriously started taking vitamins and it's helping a bit. I hate taking pills; is this what elderly people feel like with their slew of daily medication?

Backtracking a bit, the past few months I was getting very sleepy after dinner. Almost immediately after eating and washing up the dishes, I would sit on the couch and nod off. This happened almost every single day at about the same time. I was like clockwork. It was really horrible and almost embarrassing.

I had previously read certain foods can make you sleepy. Remember? Men fall asleep after eating turkey? Um...yeah? It's really not the alcohol?

Here are some tips to avoid that wiped out feeling:

*Staying hydrated regardless of the weather is a daily must-do.

*Too much caffeine can hinder sleep if consumed late in the day. Chocolate can give you a sugar high and keep you going very briefly before it takes you down.

*Stress takes a lot of mental energy and for some people dealing with stress means getting into unhealthy eating habits.

*Overeating of anything will make you sleepy too. Walk away from the dinner table satisfied, not stuffed.

*Shake your groove thang. Get up and get moving. People who exercise sleep better and are more energized.

*Eat smaller meals and more frequently adding fibre to your diet to achieve a fuller feeling. Fibre also takes longer to get into your bloodstream providing more energy throughout the day.

*Try to wake up and go to sleep at the same time each day even on weekends.

*Eat breakfast even if you're not hungry. This gets your metabolism going and it sets the day up on how healthy you will eat.

Take A Break: Stress Less

Aloha!

There's suppose to be a beautiful beach photo here, but I haven't unloaded the photos from my camera yet.

I just came back from a wonderful and relaxing holiday from Oahu. The sounds of the waves crashing on the beach still echo in my ears and the hot tropical sun warming up my body or burning my skin? Either or it was a great feeling and the stress just floated away with the dissipating clouds.

It was a very welcomed holiday. We had it booked months ahead, in fact six months ago. I'm looking foward to going back next year and spend a few more extra days.

I work from home and it's not any less important than someone who works outside the home. I still juggle with looking after the kidlet, completing household chores, and preparing meals. It's just that I can do it in between my work.

Working at home is not always a walk in the park as some may think. I do put in a lot of hours per day and in a brick and mortar job it would be considered overtime.

As with any job from home or outside, there is stress and how do you relieve stress? Many people would take a break. A few days off or a two week vacation usually does the trick.

When I worked in a brick and mortar company, I remembered one couple every year would bank their holiday time. Accumulated money isn't going to make the stress go away physically or mentally. Okay, maybe for a brief time when you pay off a huge bill. It's a huge burden off your shoulders, but you just go back to being stressed about something else.

Whatever you want to call it taking a break or taking a holiday is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family. Not only does it relieve stress, but it unclutters a foggy mind, it makes you refocus on what's really important, re-energizes your mind and body and you spend quality time with your family.

You really don't have to spend a lot of money to have a good time so be a tourist in your own city if money is a bit tight. A day at the beach, hiking, swimming, sightseeing or camping. You don't have to venture far to take a break.

And if you think going on vacation and taking the time away, you'll have to come back to catching up? Well, really...

It's all perception, isn't it?