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inspiration during heavy work loads


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I'm currently in a really intense work period which means I'm going twelve hours (plus/minus) for a longish period of time, including most weekends. I'm doing what I can to sort and prioritize the best I can, but basically I need (have chosen to) to set it up like this for while and stick it out. I know it's for a set period of time and later I can go back to more normal hours.

 

However, I am (not surprisingly) noticing energy and efficiency levels declining. I'm wondering what others do during intense periods of work to keep it going? I exercise twice a week, try to eat healthy (although I do use chocolate as an energy booster, knowing I should stick to fruit...) and take mini-mediation breaks at work, but due to my schedule I can't do that much socializing or walking in nature or just chilling - stuff that would normally balance me out.

 

Any good suggestions for not very time consuming but healthy energy boosts/ concentration tips? Addressing the root cause (work load) is not an option for me at this point.

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During heavy stress periods, I bump up the intensity of work outs and when playing, play a little harder. This seems to help balance things out.

 

If at all possible, try to work out more often where the two times you already do this, should be intense and the balance of five other days, can be short sessions of working out at home for convenience.

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During heavy stress periods, I bump up the intensity of work outs and when playing, play a little harder. This seems to help balance things out.

 

If at all possible, try to work out more often where the two times you already do this, should be intense and the balance of five other days, can be short sessions of working out at home for convenience.

 

Thanks, that sounds good! I could probably manage three times, and can definitely push myself more.

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Ruby Slippers

I'm in the same boat, and it's really paying off. I crashed at the beginning of last week, took two days off, and slept till the afternoon both of those days.

 

I don't have a concrete suggestion of what to do to power up. What I'm doing is focusing on the rewards -- the freedom and ease I will have to drive my life once I get to a certain point moneywise.

 

I'm not afraid of hard work, especially when I can see every day that it's paying off. So I just keep on truckin'.

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I'm in the same boat, and it's really paying off. I crashed at the beginning of last week, took two days off, and slept till the afternoon both of those days.

 

I don't have a concrete suggestion of what to do to power up. What I'm doing is focusing on the rewards -- the freedom and ease I will have to drive my life once I get to a certain point moneywise.

 

I'm not afraid of hard work, especially when I can see every day that it's paying off. So I just keep on truckin'.

 

Thanks, Ruby - yeah, I know this one's going to pay off, too. I generally enjoy hard work (always had workaholic tendencies) but the main challenge now is that I notice concentration and efficiency waning... :( I've had frequent stages like this in the past and it's been fine, but I guess I'm just getting old :eek: Good luck to you!

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Thanks, Ruby - yeah, I know this one's going to pay off, too. I generally enjoy hard work (always had workaholic tendencies) but the main challenge now is that I notice concentration and efficiency waning... :( I've had frequent stages like this in the past and it's been fine, but I guess I'm just getting old :eek: Good luck to you!

 

People generally are just **** after about 8 hours.

Really are you 100% productive for 12 hour? I doubt it.

 

I don't understand the obsession with overtime in the US as frankly it doesn't accomplish much. People get burnt out and sick and end up taking days off anyway.

 

Here, people try to be as efficient as possible during the 8 hour work day. That means doing your work and not wasting time on smoke breaks, chatting in the canteen, reading through tons of pointless email, surfing the net, etc.

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People generally are just **** after about 8 hours.

Really are you 100% productive for 12 hour? I doubt it.

 

I don't understand the obsession with overtime in the US as frankly it doesn't accomplish much. People get burnt out and sick and end up taking days off anyway.

 

Here, people try to be as efficient as possible during the 8 hour work day. That means doing your work and not wasting time on smoke breaks, chatting in the canteen, reading through tons of pointless email, surfing the net, etc.

 

Hi SarahRose, firstly I'm not in the US, and maybe your 'here' is also my 'here', I don't know. My situation is self-inflicted and is the result of a string of choices I have made, and not due to some boss telling me to work late. I still stand by those choices because they are allowing me to realise a dream I have had for a long time, but mad hours right now is the consequence of that. Everything in life has a prize, and sometimes that prize is worth paying. I do occasionally need to crash and then I take annual leave rather than sick days, so I'm not placing an extra burden on my employer. While I do waste a bit of time on LS regularly, I don't generally fuff about during my work hours and I don't smoke. And yes of course I am struggling to perform 100% for long hours, which is why I posted in the first place :)

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Ruby Slippers

Yes, Sarah, I understand what you're saying and agree that overwork should not become a lifelong habit. But sometimes, you really do just have to work hard. I just talked to a good friend who runs her own business, too, and she told me that the way she elevated her biz to where it is now (better than ever) was by doing basically nothing but working for 3 or 4 months straight. Now that she's done all that heavy lifting, she's elevated her life and can relax more.

 

I've been working about 60-70 hours a week on average this entire year, and I am seeing major returns in the form of way better clients, more money, and much better opportunities. I know that this step is critical in me getting where I want to be, so I am happy to do it, if sometimes completely wiped out.

 

Here's to busting your butt in pursuit of your dreams. :)

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"Any good suggestions for not very time consuming but healthy energy boosts/ concentration tips? "

 

Yes, supplement with taurine from any health food store. My friend took it to aid focus on long running sessions, and suggested it to me. I found that your body just doesn't get tired in the normal way after taking it, you can continue for as long as you choose to.

 

It's technically a sedative, so it doesn't have a caffeine-like effect, but it improves the ability to continue one task with concentration.

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A sedative?? :eek::) but hey I'm really bloody exhausted today, so I'm wiling to try anything. - thanks, jamcherries!

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Yes, a sedative: when you have to get a lot done there's usually enough energy to do it, but it's distracted and all over the place. The normal way of 'energising' using strong coffee etc risks making one jittery and non-calm.

 

Alcohol, for example, is a sedative, not a stimulant. But people tend to feel more alert and easy, concentrated and confident after taking it. The jittery, overloaded feeling of having too much on one's mind diminishes: that's why it's so necessary in social contact with strangers.

 

Here's a page I found on other effects of taurine:

http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/L-Taurine.html

 

(The first time I took it my partner said my pupils were huge, as if I were on speed. It also can make you thirsty for water.)

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If that doesn't work, or you can't get it, the other obvious one is guarana. I got some on discount, but I haven't tried it yet: it claims 'supports energetic alertness'. On the wikipedia page for Guarana, it seems that it works on the body very much like caffeine.

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Yes, a sedative: when you have to get a lot done there's usually enough energy to do it, but it's distracted and all over the place. The normal way of 'energising' using strong coffee etc risks making one jittery and non-calm.

 

Alcohol, for example, is a sedative, not a stimulant. But people tend to feel more alert and easy, concentrated and confident after taking it. The jittery, overloaded feeling of having too much on one's mind diminishes: that's why it's so necessary in social contact with strangers.

 

Here's a page I found on other effects of taurine:

http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/L-Taurine.html

 

Thanks for this!

 

(The first time I took it my partner said my pupils were huge, as if I were on speed. It also can make you thirsty for water.)

 

You're selling it pretty well here :D

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