This summer has been one of recovery for our family. My son had his wisdom teeth taken out, and a week later I had major surgery. After both procedures, we were both sent home with instructions for continued care as well as warnings. Some pain and discomfort were to be expected, but there was a list of specific symptoms that warranted a call to the doctor. We also had follow-up visits scheduled to be sure the healing was progressing as it should.
As an 18-year-old athlete, my son bounced back from his ordeal relatively quickly, with minimal inconvenience or pain, having had no complications. As an ahem-year-old woman recovering from a far more invasive surgery, I am taking my time, enjoying the 2-week permission slip to watch Netflix, play free cell, and receive meals from my generous and caring friends.
The head-scratching part of this process is that fact that I?m exhausted by just being awake all day. How is it that just moving myself around the house and doing ordinary grooming can wear me out?
Because recovery is work AND rest, I?m discovering. And recovery needs to be scheduled so that nothing else interferes with its work, which is crucial. After surgery, in business, in life, recovery is not optional. If I ignored my surgeon?s instructions not to lift or engage in strenuous activities, I would do long-term damage and potentially harm myself beyond repair.
So why don?t we plan more recovery into our lives? The body and the mind need recovery on a regular basis or we will crash unexpectedly. We know this is true. We are more productive when we?ve had sleep and good nutrition. Yet we keep going and going and going.
What if you planned one recovery activity this week? A power nap. A long walk. 20 minutes in a chair, staring out the window. Put it on your calendar, experience it, then share it here!
