“So, to prevent fatigue and worry, the first rule is: Rest often. Rest before you get tired.”

~ Dale Carnegie

Rest before you get tired. What a concept! I sure need to follow that advice. How about you? I don’t think enough of us have acknowledged just how fatiguing the last few years have been. I don’t need to rehash my pandemic-fatigue to remind you of yours. It’s been a ride.

Once I stopped for a rest this summer, I realized just how fried I was, and I knew a 10-day vacay wasn’t going to energize me. Now what?

Well, I’ve begun an exploration of REST and what it really means to take a break (the research is invigorating). The first video is below, or you can read the transcript that follows.

Tell me if you can relate. I’m excited about what I’m learning, and I’m looking forward to sharing more with you so we can all rest better!

I recently returned from 10 days of holidays in BC’s Okanagan. We mountain biked, golfed, swam, sipped wine (a lot of it), and had a helluva a good time with good friends … even though my hubby had to isolate for several days because of Covid …that he caught from me…(more on that another time)

While I felt refreshed from the change of pace and the fun that we had, I didn’t exactly feel rested when I got home. In fact, I felt like I needed another holiday to recover from my holiday. I know that’s not unusual, but this post-holiday fatigue felt different somehow, and it got me thinking.

Hey, Michelle Cederberg here – makeup-free and summer-casual in my disaster of an office because, well, I’m doing the essentials this summer. I’m working on the things I know I need to get done (including this video), but I’m also spending time golfing, and spending time in my garden, and spending time not putting on makeup or doing my hair.

And I’m talking about what it truly means to ‘give it a rest’, and why, after more than 2 years of pandemic-pivoting, quality time off is not only necessary, but that time off needs to be approached with a bit of …what’s the word… respect…and dare I say, reverence!

Let me explain.

Despite over two and half years of navigating the pandemic, here’s a little bit of a REALITY CHECK. We’re still dealing with it and the impact it’s had on every aspect of our lives – physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.

I don’t need to rehash my pandemic-fatigue to remind you of yours. It’s been a ride.

Like so many of you, I’ve been so excited to get back to a more normal existence, but that shift requires an adjustment period.

I came straight off two years of virtual presentations, to travelling again to speak, interacting with in-person audiences, and meeting face-to-face with clients after a very long break, and I’ve loved every second of that (and I’m looking forward to more this fall).

I’ve also had to deal with delayed flights and the chaos that is happening in the airports. I’ve had to deal with crazy schedules, and being away from my hubby and dog again. I’m out of practice, so it’s very tiring and it’s taking me awhile to get back in the groove.

On top of that, I got hit with a second bout of Covid at a big US conference I attended. My symptoms were really mild, but it tired me out, it has affected my voice, I infected my husband… and that impacted our holiday. Not fun, especially for my hubby, but we’re both fine! That’s part of our reality. It’s still out there.

This thing we’ve all been through has been called unprecedented for a reason. Yes we’re tired of talking about it, but that’s partly because it has tired us out. So maybe we need to allow ourselves to be tired, without feeling guilt for wanting to rest… for wanting to do to do less. That’s certainly been me. I love my work, but I’ve really felt the need to take a longer break from work than usual, and I have to be able to process why.

The shift toward next (whatever that will look like) requires energy, and for me, it’s means that I need to examine what I need for myself now – in the quieter weeks of summer – so I can hit the ground running once fall arrives and my speaking schedule explodes again… and it’s going to explode!

What does that look like for you?

How has the pandemic changed your energy, your outlook even? Even though you may have triumphed over the tough stuff, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t hard.

Be proud of your fortitude for sure, and also pay close attention to how it may have bruised your physical, mental, emotional or social energy. It’s okay to slow down and reset.

It’s important to break before you’re broken.

Over the next several weeks I’m going to explore this very concept…how to break before you’re broken. And what I mean by that is how to take a proper break before you’re broken… how to rest better, how to rethink recovery, and not attach shame or guilt to slowing down.

Next week I’ll share some research and talk about how – when it comes to ‘giving it a rest’ – sometimes we need to shake up our routine. It’s going to be eye-opening!

Share this post with anyone who needs to re-examine rest and follow me on my other channels below for more rest-reset inspiration.

Until next time, I’m Michelle Cederberg reminding you, you’ve got one chance to do this life, I say Dare to Live It Big, and dare to give it a real rest so you can feel your very best. I’m excited about what I’m going to share. Stay tuned!

♥ Does your workplace need a good dose of Post-Pandemic re-energizing this fall? Ask me about my half and full day Success-Energy Rest sessions to help you regain focus and recharge your health and productivity in this new world of work. Contact me to chat.

♥ Buy my new book via my website and I’ll send you a signed copy!

♥ Don’t forget to sign up for my 6 Day Work-Life Reset. This is the perfect time to do it, and it’s free, so click the link, and get going!

♥ Sign up for my socials below, because there’s all sorts of interesting stuff coming down the pipe.

Michelle Cederberg, CSP, MKin, BA Psyc