Recharging

          Burn-out in a very demanding career or ministry is a reality.  Most often this happens in careers where there is a great deal of emotional, psychological and physical stress. Being a doctor makes me prone to burn out. There are days when I have to drag myself to go to the clinic, see an emergency, attend another meeting  or answer another urgent phone call. This is why there is always a need for me to recharge. How does one come to a point of being energized again after being sapped of one's enthusiasm, motivation and strength? There are a few things I remind myself when I am feeling weary and weak:

1. God is the source of my strength.
            God enables and provides us with the energy to do what He has purposed us to do. Prayer and bible reflections is the quickest and the most powerful form of recharge for me. Connecting to our Power Source is the most logical thing to do when suffering burn out. It's also what the world calls "finding your Center". Often, my feelings of exhaustion and exasperation arise when I do not regularly do a Quiet Time. I have a habit of doing a regular Quiet Time when I wake up - I pray, read a short Bible passage, meditate on it, work on my schedule for the day mentally, then pray again. I usually have a clearer perspective and priorities for the day, my anxieties and worries are cast upon God through prayer and I get a boost to do what it good and right for the day.
 
2. Be kind to yourself.
            I am human, fallen and broken. My strength is not limitless, therefore I should create boundaries. Learn to say NO to the things God has not called you to do. Make sure you are getting enough water for the day, you are eating healthy and on time, you are getting enough sleep and regular exercise. Headaches and muscle fatigue set in easily when I am dehydrated. I make sure I have a bottle in my clinic and my car. Hypoglycemia or hunger can make your mind cloudy, your temper short and your head ache. Make time for a short but good meal in the middle of a busy day. Get enough sleep. Turn off the gadgets at night. Sleep deprivation can make you irritable, mar your judgments and cause you to feel always tired. There is such a thing a sleep debt - caused by weeks or months of sleep loss. When this happens, it takes several days or week of restful sleep before you can recover.
           As I get older, I feel my body being more sensitive to these effects. I feel more aches and pains and tire more easily. I realize I am no longer a spring chicken. I don't work myself up to doing more. I have learned to adjust my workload, my pace and my schedule according to my age.
         I have also noticed that although " taking mini vacations" sometimes give me a second wind, it does not last long and I am back to a blah-state within a day or two.This became more noticeable as I entered my late 40's. There are physical, hormonal and psychological things that happen in the different phases of our lives and we have to learn to live with them.

3. Pre-plan regular me-times, personal retreats and long vacations.
           A lot of people feel guilty scheduling a me-time. They think it is a selfish practice. A lot of people also think taking regular vacations a luxurious whim, a waste of time and money. But researches abound to prove that rest and recreation is beneficial to one's health. If it is truly important, then we should make time for it in our lives.
          Very often, we take vacations when we have hit rock bottom or when there are storm signals or national holidays. you don't,  other people's clamor for your time will gobble up your schedules leaving you with an imbalanced use of your time.

6. Connect
             Nurturing human interactions give you a powerful energy boost....lift the soul very quickly- an enjoyable and intimate  conversation with a friend, laughing with your children and students, sharing a glass of wine  or a quiet evening with your partner...



                                                                         

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galatians 6:9, 10 NIV)

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch ir a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is the meaning of success."   Ralph Waldo Emerson

End-of-the-Year Get-Away at Balai Indang

          It has always been a personal practice for me to take the rest of the days after Christmas and into the New Year off. Aside from allowing me to get on with the tasks of preparing a million things for the Season ( from parties, shopping, gift wrapping and cooking), it also allows me to have some time later for reconnecting,recharging, rejuvenation and reflection, especially after the festivities are over.
           I always like to spend the last two days of the year for a personal retreat - to take stock of the year that was, to set my goals/vision for the coming year, to take time to listen to what God wants me to do, to pray and to soak in God's word. And usually I do it in a new environment and with my whole family in tow. They get to have a holiday, I don't have to cook and I am free and licensed to do my own thing. Staying at home does not do the job as the sight of clutter and long-neglected chores rob me of my focus. I need to go somewhere where the referral calls can temporarily be denied or muted. This year we decided to go to Balai Indang - a very tranquil get away just a few minutes from the maddening Tagaytay road.
        The place is so relaxing, the staff are so helpful, attentive and soft spoken and the meals are not so fancy, it feels like you're eating at home. You can sleep, nap or meditate in the very many corners of your room, the lanai or the gardens which always have a seat or two, a cushioned lounging chair or sofa and just dream away, until at mealtimes, a courteous staff comes around to say, "Ma'am, dinner is ready na po." What a life !  It's like living in a hacienda. I brought along my 84 yr old stressed out Mom, and she said, " Can you leave me here for a week? ".  And why not, look.....