Paradox Media

Being a perfectionist can really mess up your brain on many levels. When everything on your agenda is done, you just want to take a good break, recharge, and be in your best capacity to continue your routine.

However, the problem is that the resting days are even more tiring than the busy days. Welcome to the club! I know it is completely terrible, not to be able to shut down your brain and just enjoy your day.

Feeling guilty when you rest can be a very tricky situation because it’s caused by many factors that we have made a habit without even noticing. That is why I decided to share with you some lessons that I took based on my experience.

1. Stop overdoing

Overworking, over-studying, over-exercising, and every other activity that is overdone will leave you burnout, tired all the time, and with low levels of dopamine and energy. The only thing that will feel like happiness with be the urge to finish a lot of things until you run out of “gas”.

You may even fool yourself to say “I finished a lot of things today.” However, in the next days, you will find it hard to do even the easiest activities. Therefore, you won’t feel productive enough, and even if you give your best to be productive, it won’t give many results.

 It is not about not drinking enough coffee, you being lazy or even your lack of willpower but about not practicing “Balance.” The desire to give your best and expand your potential is a blessing that you have but without balance you damage yourself. You may damage yourself in ways that may take much time to recover. Don’t do that to yourself, you don’t have 7 lives.

2. Don’t go heavy on the fake dynamic of social media

Everyone seems to be doing something in a blink of an eye.  One is getting married; another one opened a business, another one is traveling the world and all kinds of things. This dynamic can be very toxic for the human brain because it puts you in false competition without knowing. You may feel like you haven’t done enough or if it’s too late or too early to start something. Don’t be surprised, these are the standards of society. But keep in mind that you can be affected.

 Social media is made to portray a little bit of a facade. It lets us choose how we want to be perceived by the public or even our friends. Additionally, everyone wants to be perceived as happy, positive, and successful. The point is that things aren’t always as they seem. And even if some of them are, acknowledge that you aren’t being realistic when you assume that you know others’ input. There are different factors that make it possible for someone to reach their goal faster or slower than somebody else. You cannot understand them fully, because you haven’t walked into their shoes.

Make a habit of being conscious of your social media feed and how it influences you. The race is between you and yourself and for yourself. This is your path combined with your input of actions, the input of character traits, and life experiences. Therefore, it’s unique, just like you.

3. Track progress from a different perspective

What do I mean by this? Simple.  Keep in mind that you are doing this for yourself, and everything positive that comes from it is progress. For example, It’s not only about how many articles you wrote but even about how much you have grown, how many new things you have learned, and what new perspectives you have gained.  Know to distinguish quality over quantity.  Know to value yourself first.

Moreover, progress needs to be celebrated. Make a habit of treating yourself every time you make progress, slow or fast.  Treat yourself with something you like doing, buy something nice for yourself, visit a nice place, etc.,.

Stop and reflect on your small and big wins. They matter because they make you the person you are today. Do not wait for someone to acknowledge your hard work, creativity or strategy but be proud of yourself. Be proud of this transformative energy that you are capable of practicing.

4. Practice a Health Package

Eat healthily

Try to stay committed to a sleep schedule

Meditate regularly, especially before sleeping

Exercise regularly but lightly

This way your thoughts will be clearer, your body will feel better, and you won’t take action out of anxiety but from your logic.

I won’t expand too much here because it’s a more repeated common sense. But it’s extremely important to understand the miracles that good nutrition and physical activity can do to your mind and body. Unfortunately, we understand that after some crazy episodes of overconsuming fast food and caffeinated drinks.

5. Avoid toxic people and every pointless drama

Avoid people that may make you feel pressured to do more and constantly provide. Your energy is sacred, your time is sacred, and your health is sacred. Do not waste it feeding leeches.

A lot of people may not understand that you need to rest and how seriously your mental and emotional state is being affected.  However, this doesn’t mean wasting your energy and time to convince these energy vampires.

You don’t have to be everywhere, you don’t have to attend that event because someone will get sad, you don’t have to talk with that friend if you have no energy. Be true to yourself and do not let that drama affect you.  

Therefore, distance a little bit until you feel at your best capacity again. It will feel like you are breathing fresh air again.

I will continue to say it, you are blessed with the desire to do more, to have more, and to give more. That is the biggest blessing you can have, if you know when to stop and when to run.

Written by Paradox Media 🙂