Ladies Who Launch: Is Exhausted The New Norm?

I was reminiscing with friends the other day about being a kid and watching my parents and their friends sip gin and tonics on the porch at about 5:30pm on any given Wednesday night. Still in their work clothes, they laughed and joked, sharing drama's and injustices about their days, giving one another pats on the back for awards, grants given, promotions achieved. Not one of them had cell phones, Blackberry's, Trio's...they all were just there, not working, with each other (and at 5:30 in the evening no less! When did you ever stop working that early?).

Today's blogger addresses what has become the new badge of honor: over worked. If you're not busy, are you really even alive? The message we're getting in this culture is that over-worked means you're doing something right. That just seems wrong.

Amy Swift, Editor in Chief, www.ladieswholaunch.com

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Tanya L. Weiker

Spherica LLC, www.potentialunleashed.com

Cleveland, Ohio

[e-mail]

Running On Adrenaline

That rush of adrenaline in having 'achieved the extraordinary' in a 'nominal' amount of time...there isn't anything like it - at least not when you are a self-professed go-aholic, do-aholic, work-aholic, train-aholic, stress-aholic...

Note: That's 'well-worn' not 'well-being.'

"Running on adrenaline" rolled off of my tongue as easily as the word 'hello,' as I quite naturally utilized it to depict my whole existence. Simply put, as a new entrepreneur pulling 70-80 hour work weeks, it was a clear and simple description of my 'way of life.' And - in retrospect - I must admit, a proud one! Looking back, I guess that I came in touch with a good bit of arrogance in explaining my life that way. After all, feeling that exhausted and running that fast - wasn't that what it was all about? Functioning (really?) at that level and in that manner, was that not what our culture holds in highest regard and deems most successful?

Adrenaline is a very important chemical in our body - one that serves a vital role in our innate stress reaction. It is released in times of acute stress along with it's 'cohort' cortisol, to prep the body to either fight or take flight. While cortisol somewhat orchestrates our internal cascade of events, adrenaline is what provides us with the 'up.' It is the 'up' chemical. 'Up' feels good and 'up' can be very productive. I'll not fight either of those. However, in excess, 'up' can be quite damaging. And, unfortunately, living in that constant 'up' state can (and does) give false feelings of sustainability and invincibility.

See, it's kind of like that old song: "What goes up, must come down..." It's an equal and opposite reaction. What "runs on adrenaline" must at some point stop, crash, fall over ... It had never even dawned on me that if stopped dead in their tracks a runner would have no choice but to come to a screeching halt.

So there I was. Call it my 'stop, crash and fall.' Quite literally, I suddenly found myself with no more 'run' in me. 'Well-worn,' definitely not 'well-being.' (Actually, the latter of the two was nowhere near my vocabulary tool box.)

That's what Adrenal Fatigue is. And, worse yet - Adrenal Failure. Your Adrenal Glands get too tired and they just quit. They scream out: "Hey buddy, if you won't listen, or pay attention - then I'll take matters into my own hands (aka glands! haha). No more adrenaline and cortisol for you. I'm done." Adrenals literally lose their ability to kick out the necessary chemicals. And, you lose your ability to stay awake. At least I did - losing approximately four months, solid, to sleep.

So, that's where disregarding 'well-being' gets you - in my humble opinion.

People challenge me all the time while I'm teaching. They claim that they "defy the odds," and affirm that they really do "run on adrenaline." And, I answer back with: "I believe you." Then I ask: "For how long - another week? A month? A couple of years? Ten years? Who knows? At some point - you will crash. Bodies are not meant to live on adrenaline. We - you - are not made that way." "Adrenal glands need time to rest, replenish and recharge. They'll be your 'running' companions for only so long, without being taken care of."

Take pause. Step back. Tune-in. Please, please think about this: How fast are you running? How exhausted is your system?

Don't wait for your doctor to someday answer that for you. It happened to me. Why not you?

'Well-worn' or 'well-being?'

Answer today - right now - with your health, your vitality and your future in mind - with real sustainability and invincibility. Your choice!

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Tanya is the co-author of a power-packed book "just Be" and the founder of a dynamic firm, Spherica LLC, that she delightfully runs with her sister and best friend, Heidi. She designs and delivers innovative workshops and coaching based on the belief that every human being has the intrinsic ability to be their best - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Tanya is an Orthopedic Physical Therapist and Certified Personal Trainer whose extensive clinical experience includes all aspects of spine care, athletic performance, CORE training and fitness, wellness, and preventative and alternative health care. She earned international recognition as a pioneer in the development of spine rehab protocols and stability ball exercise. Tanya is currently gaining fast acclaim in connecting awareness of mind, body and spirit into the physiology of stress and its' modern day impact on personal and professional well-being, health and performance. Her approach is intuitive, respectful, inspirational, and funny - true to the way she passionately lives her life.

Comments

[dadw5boys]

Women will soon see why most men died several years before the wife. They were worn out.

[Cathexis]

Good advice ... for those whom "exhausted" is a choice, rather than an imposition.

[oey]

I strongly agree, and thought the reminiscing in the introduction was touching. We seem out of balance. Working crazy hours doesn't necessarily translate into being efficient, either.

[AnnaLath]

I recently read an interesting book edited by Cathi Hanauer, called THE BITCH IN THE HOUSE. It's a collection of essays by women about women's lives and perspectives, and one point that sticks in my mind is that today's woman has earned the right to work a full-time job, then come home and put in another six-seven hours on her second job as mother / wife / household manager. This, according to the author, is part of the reason many women feel exhausted. (this book, by the way, was followed by its sequel, THE BASTARD ON THE COUCH; just the title makes me feel a little cranky, as in 'what's he doing on the couch when there's all that laundry just sitting there, waiting to be folded?!!' But I digress...­)

An interesting point made by this blogger is that even though she realized that putting in 60-70 hours/ week was excessive, she recognized that it also gave her a sense of pride...sh­e was working HARD. As Americans, we've been taught that hard work translates to success. Maybe it's time we redefine the word 'success' in order to save our own lives, or at least improve the quality of them.

[TW927]

You are so correct... do you know that Americans work an average of 12wks longer per year than our European counterparts? And, by 'counterparts' I mean our exact 'equal positions' in Europe. AND, Americans work an average of 14wks longer/year than we did only 30yrs ago. Crazy, huh? It is definitely time for reflection and redefiniti­on...