How long has it been since you last sharpened your axe? This metaphor tells us about the times when we are so busy working that we forget to recharge our batteries:
“In the forest, a hard-working woodcutter was cutting wood with eagerness. On the first day, the woodcutter managed to fell 18 trees, an impressive number. The man was trying his best, but he believed he could do even better.
The next day, however, he could only manage 15 logs. And the next day he came back with only 10. As the days went by, the woodcutter tried to do better, but each time he came back with less and less wood. He was desperate.
– I don’t understand, every day I cut fewer trees,” he said. To which his companion replied:
– How long has it been since you sharpened your axe?
“I need a vacation from the vacations!”
We look forward to the vacations so that we can finally afford a break and, when they arrive, we occupy all the hours of the day with activities that stress us out even more. Our “star phrase” that indicates that we don’t have the axe sharpened for the return to routine is that of: I need a vacation from vacation.
What you need is to rest, listen to your body and offer it what it is asking for. But recharging batteries is not something that is mandatory to relegate to the holiday period. It is a task to include in our daily lives.
Do not postpone your self-care
Continuing to work without stopping to “sharpen” our body and mind can turn against us and make us fall into a vicious circle. Rest is not exclusively for the holiday period. Nor is it only for weekends. Not even for when you finally reach your goals. We must include self-care blocks in our day-to-day life in order to keep up with the level of demand with our highest energy.
Sound familiar?
- I work long hours.
- I come home late.
- I eat anything.
- I go to bed late watching a movie.
- I wake up in a hurry, more tired and overwhelmed.
- Eventually, my results get worse.
When are you not sharpening your axe?
Turning on the TV or engaging in social gatherings is enriching because they are distracting activities. But they are not restorative or renewing. They round us out and are important, but they are activities that drain even more of our energy. Here are some of the habits that seem like self-care, but in reality are not:
- Long commutes.
- Appointments due to commitments.
- Two or more plans in the same day.
- Using screens to pass the dead hours.
- Whatsapping.
- Running errands.
- Cleaning the home.
- Advance work of the week.
What habits do sharpen our axe?
All those activities that are in the field of self-knowledge. Mornings can be the ideal time to bring out the best version of ourselves and dedicate quality time to ourselves. “Sharpening the axe” consists of stopping and observing ourselves. Ask ourselves how our body is doing today, allow ourselves to feel whatever comes up and do it with patience without traveling beyond the now:
- Exercise.
- Meditate.
- Reading.
- Look out the window.
- Walking outdoors.
- Writing in a journal.
- Gratefulness.
- Organize your schedule.