I’ve always had an A-type personality. I have my to-do list, I like to keep busy, and I like to be in control. In short I’m an example of your modern day multi-tasker. Boredom is the enemy, and relaxing often feels uncomfortable. If I’m not accomplishing something I feel idle and lazy. A good day is a day where I checked off everything on my to-do list.

This attitude has served me well in life. I’ve always been driven and had a strong sense of willpower. When I say I am going to do something, I do it. And while my mind enjoys the constant stimulation and growth my body does not always agree.

I have a tendency to over do it, over commit, and then get overwhelmed. At which point my body rebels and begins to shut down. This is when I will wake up with a cold, a terrible headache, or simply be so fatigued that I can barely keep my eyes open. This is when I know I need to slow down.

Over the past year I’ve learned to tune in and listen to when my body says enough is enough. It will begin to send me signals such as mild fatigue, an upset stomach, or an achy neck. If I ignore these signals (which I’ve often done in the past) my body starts talking louder. This past fall it was a sprained ligament on my knee that kept from running for two months. During the holidays where I insisted on working it was a debilitating sinus headache that forced me to do nothing but sleep. And earlier this year it was a bitch of cold that came on after I had just bragged to all my friends that I never get sick because I take such good care of my body. This last cold really made me stop and think; am I really taking good care of my body?

I’ve always made my health my number one priority. Obviously with being a holistic practitioner, I’m pretty darn health conscious. I drink my green juice, eat organic, exercise every day, take my vitamins, and get acupuncture once a week. My practice is called Ultimate Vitality and I’d like to think that I represent that name. But I came to realize that I was breaking the most important rule when it comes to self-care, and that is rest. I could be doing everything else right but if I don’t slow down and give my body the proper amount of rest that it needs, then no amount of supplements are going to prevent my body from breaking down.

The great thing about your body forcing you to slow down is that it slows down your mind as well. In todays society our minds are constantly going as we multi-task, trying to juggle 10 different things at once. Our brains are use to constant noise, so much so that silence can feel uncomfortable. But we need the silence now and then; we need to give our mind a break!So as I’ve tuned in and listened to my body more I find that I have a much healthier balance between work and rest. There are times when you need to hustle and there are times when you need to relax. And it’s not always so black and white, so you have to tune in and pay attention to what your body is telling you. I might really push it for a week straight if I have a lot on my plate, but then I better make sure to give myself that weekend to chill out or else I’ll pay for it. Just this past week I had to bust my butt to get a bunch done and was starting to feel a little run down. I still thought I had a little get-up and go left in me so I woke up early Saturday for a morning run. But as soon as I started to run I could tell that my body wasn’t having any of it. I was so out of breath and felt like I could barely move my legs. I recognized that my body was sending me some pretty strong signals, so I walked back home and crawled right back into bed. The rest of the day I napped on and off. I threw out my to-do list and decided to have no other agenda other then to slow down and let my body rest. And it worked. I woke up the next day feeling great and was back to my normal productive pace. That was a close call! If I hadn’t listened to my body that Saturday, if I kept trying to push it, I probably would have ended up stuck in bed with another cold. Disaster diverted!

And what I’ve realized the past few months is that slowing down isn’t so bad. I can actually relax without my mind racing and fretting about everything on my to-do list. Because bottom line, everything still gets done in the time that it needs to get done. My body seems happy with this new balance. I’ve noticed that not only do I have more energy, but my digestion is better, my skin is brighter, and I sleep more soundly. In a strange way the more I’ve slowed down the more productive and accomplished I’ve become.

So if you’re a busy body like me it’s time to take an honest look at your life. Are you listening to your body? Do you need to slow down? How often do you feel run down or catch colds? Check in with your body the next time you’re in hustle mode and see if you need to take a breather.

Here are a few ways to slow down your mind and body:

• Take at least 30 minutes to eat your meals. Enjoy your food, chew slowly, and try not to rush through it.
• Turn electronics off an hour before you go to sleep and just lie in bed and read or journal.
• Get out and enjoy nature more by taking a leisurely walk on your breaks and down time.
• Have at least one day a week where you can sleep in till whenever.
• Practice taking deep full breaths’ periodically throughout the day. This is especially helpful if you are stuck in traffic!
• Take time out to play with your pets or your kids. This immediately takes us out of rush mode and into the present moment.
• Meditate for at least 5 min every day. This ones uber important! (more on meditation in future blogs, stay tuned!)