It’s 10:00 PM on a Tuesday night. I spent my day running (literally) and running errands, closing my evening with a goodbye dinner. I told myself I would get some packing done (read: minimal) and finish some work that’s been on my to-do list a while.
I sat down on my couch a few moments ago to get started, knowing I have a few hours to get everything done. Then, out of nowhere, my eyes started to feel heavy, and my brain shut down. In college, this was the peak time of productivity for me. What happened?
All four years of college were busy for me. I had back to back meetings and classes that ran at least 12 hours a day, five days a week. I also did all of it without caffeine, aside from the occasional Diet Pepsi. Now, I start my day with a cup of coffee, and crave another later in the day, especially during the workday. Even now, at 10:00 at night, I am contemplating making myself a cup. In college, I was used to running around campus, and being alert and attentive all day. Now, I lead a mostly sedentary lifestyle – sitting at a desk 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and it’s beginning to effect my life outside of work.
I usually head to bed around 11, terrified of staying up until 12 or 1, knowing I won’t have the energy to function the next day. My body has been trained to wake up between 6 and 6:45, which means I now consider sleeping until 8 “sleeping in.” It’s very opposite from my life in college, and I’m not sure how much I love it.
Part of me is looking for advice about how to keep myself energized and focused all day, but more of me is concerned that my recent over-tired feelings are coming from a place of stress or genuinely stretching myself too thin. I have a number of daily responsibilities, and sometimes, I feel as though there aren’t enough hours in the day! For now, I’m working towards eating right and sleeping a healthy amount to get my body back in check. Hopefully, I’ll be motivated and energized all day!