Tiredness | But I Smile Anyway...

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 341 – The Power of Rest

19 Sep 2021 47 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, rest, School, Spiderman, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sunday, Tiredness

“When you get tired, learn to rest, not quit.”
Banksy

Think I needed this reminder, this weekend, Spidey, thank you!

I have fast learned this over the last few years, you know, putting my physical health ahead of everything else.

I just recently read a post I had written several years ago, about how, as a teacher, I, along with many of my colleagues, find it hard to admit being unwell, slogging away, for fear of getting behind, evenif we desperately need a day in bed, to recover from an ailment.

But now, I am of the firm belief that self care comes first.

Now, I’m not talking about taking random days off to get my nails done, but knowing when I really need to stop, recharge my batteries, before continuing on the constant treadmill that is life.

School isn’t going to stop. And I can run myself ragged, being there every day, in sickness and in health (yup, it’s like being married to my job!) but, if something was to happen to me, school won’t suddenly cease to operate. they will just carry on with a repllacement Ritu in town, because they have to. (Well, it won’t be a new Ritu, as such, there’s only one of me, but you know what I mean!)

So, if I am to give the best to my job, as well as to my family, my writing, and my own interests, I have to know when to stop, or slow down, and rest.

THis past eighteen months, the whole pandemic, on top of moving house has meant that I have barely enough enercy for the basic daily life tasks, and school, meaning much less time for me to write. But I realise that I could burn the candles at both ends, and end up with words that are filled with no passion, and myself suffering from burnout.

I am not willing to do that. Whichever words flow from my fingers, need to be words that mean something, so, until I feel on an even keel, they are there, in my mind, and ideas jotted down as they come.

And with work, I have realised that I have to draw a line somewhere, too, and not bring my stresses home with me, if I can help it.

This, on top of feeling a bit unwell this weekend. Those lovely little mites in my class are filled with bugs and germs, and because we have all had less exposure to a lot the last few months, our immune systems aren’t as hardy as the were before. I have a really sore throat, and am tired, obviously.

So, I made sure I did my grocery shopping on Friday evening, so Saturday meant a little lie in. The laundry was done, the house cleaned, leaving the evening, and today free for me to rest up, ready for whatever the next week brings.

Here’s hoping I manage to listen to my own advice… you know me!

So, what about you? Can you recognise when you need to rest, not give up?

Wishing you a wonderfully peaceful Sunday, Peeps!

One Liner Wednesday – #1LinerWeds – Tired

31 Mar 2021 8 Comments

by Ritu in #onelinerwednesday Tags: #1linerweds, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, One Liner Wednesday, Tiredness

“I can’t even…”
Every teacher crawling towards the Easter break…

For Linda’s #1LinerWeds Challenge.

Why? #FlashFiction

04 Jul 2018 30 Comments

by Ritu in Family, Fiction, My Writing, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Child, Flash Fiction, Mother, Tiredness

“Why?” a whiny voice behind me continued.
I had no need to turn around.
I knew exactly who it was.
The voice had been grating on my nerves all day.
Everything I said or did elicited the same response.
“Why?
“Pudding pie.” I answered, calmly at first.
“Why?”
“In the sky.” This rhyming game was quite fun.
“Why?”
“Flying high.” Plenty of words to use yet.
“Why?”
“With a guy.” Huh, what?
“Why?”
“In a tie.” Scraping the barrel here now.
“Why?”
“Beginning to cry.” (So am I).
“Why?”
“I cannot lie.” I really can’t.
“Why?”
“He may just die…”
“Why?”
“And so might I…”
“Why?” A pause. No reply.
“Mummy, why?” Still nothing.
“Mummy? Mummy! Please don’t die!”
Her sobs brought me back to earth with a bump. I rushed to embrace her.
“Don’t be a silly sausage! Of course I won’t die! Sorry sweetheart, Mummy’s just a little tired…”

A little piece I wrote the other day, dedicated to all those mothers of young children, who plough on, regardless, trying to keep their kids happy, and not show the world they are exhausted.

In the end, it starts to creep into life, that tiredness, but the love of those little beings, devoted to you, gives you the energy to keep on…

Could it be? My Blo-Jo is coming back…?

Extreme!……

05 Sep 2015 47 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Tiredness, Vitamin D Deficiency

Six whole weeks off work! Boy aren’t you lucky, everyone says, and yes, to a degree they are correct. 6 weeks to theoretically not get up to go to work, and have to do things.

Usually these 6 weeks are used very practically, I do huge clear ups of the house, and the kids wardrobes, my kitchen, the living room, everywhere! Then there will be the week at least visit to my parents, and getting away a bit. All the other days, I would think of things to do, with the odd down day to chillax…

That was the plan at the end of July, when we broke up for Summer Holidays. But I had to figure in a few days in school, sorting out the class room for the up coming new academic year too. I got a bit of the tidying up done, as in the wardrobe clear outs, before a short and sweet visit to my parents.

During the visit, I was suffering from migraine-like headaches… not pleasant. But I am lucky to have a Pops who is a reflexology and Reiki trained individual. He did some special massages to relieve the headaches, which worked. As he massaged a certain point on my hand he could see me wince. “Does that hurt there?” he asked. I nodded, and he then explained that the point he was touching was the Thyroid gland point.

The pain there is indicative that there could be problems brewing in that area, so he taught me to self massage the relevant area, to my benefit.

We came home and the rest of the holiday continued. This time however, I have not had the get up and go, or energy to do anything. I’d be up early, as the children wake, then there was no enthusiasm to actually get tidying, as I wanted to do. Even getting out and about with the kids was a chore.

My Pop’s words about the Thyroid issue were playing on my mind… what if I have an underactive thyroid gland? Medication for life, and all craziness… I knew I should get to the doctor, but I was just too scared.

Last week, I had two coughing kids, and I thought I had better get them checked out before term starts, and as I was there, I booked an appointment for me too, I suppose I should get checked out too.

He asked all the questions, checked I wasn’t depressed, or that I wasn’t losing weight, causing the tiredness and lethargy, and sent me of to get my bloods done. “Just call in a week to 10 days, for the results. We’ll only call you if there is anything urgent.”

That was Wednesday, just gone.

Yesterday, whilst at school, I got a message from my Hubby Dearest saying the Dr’s surgery had called, and that I needed to call them back.

Alarm bells started to ring straight away. It had been barely 2 days since the test… oh God, what have they found?

It was going to be something awful about my thyroid, wasn’t it?

I called and well, it wasn’t the Thyroid, but instead, apparently I have a Vitamin D deficiency.

So now I have to take 5, (yes FIVE!) Vitamin D capsules every morning, but I don’t know how long for.

I hope this is the reason for my lethargy, I guess time will tell.