Stressin' Out

I have not been writing as much lately. It’s not that I have not had anything to write about. It’s that time of the year, and it has been really hectic at work the last few weeks. I have two major projects that constantly need urgent attention and a minor one that gets none. I’ve been working long hours and even working weekends. Overall, my work has been somewhat stressful, and my free time has suffered. I do not even have time to read tweets or blog.

Pulling in the extra hours has been hard on me this year. Perhaps I am doing more challenging projects, am more involved at work, or simply just getting old. Maybe it's all of the above. I have been really tired and not getting enough sleep – perhaps due to the stress. I can also feel it in my body: I lack energy and feel bloated. I sometimes don’t even want to move, but I know that it is best for me continue exercising.

I actually have gained weight in the last four weeks. In fact, I have gained most of the weight that I lost. First of all, it is extremely frustrating to see the weight come back. I worked really hard to take it off (well, not really – but I was militant with what I ate, I had to).

Most of all, I am concerned that my kidney function is affected. I have not changed my diet nor stopped exercising. It reminds me of when my kidney disease was first diagnosed; I gained so much weight. Back then, I did not worry about it too much. My weight frequently went up and down (more up). Now, I cannot help but be somewhat paranoid.

I guess it's true that too much work and stress can cause a bit of havoc in one’s body and mental state. As we know, chronic stress disrupts almost system of the body, and this experience has reinforced that fact. My immune systems are probably so low, that I got sick. Now, I really cannot work.

Although I use techniques such as exercise and meditation to relax and may not seem too stressed, the accumulation of pressure does add up.  It increased my anxiety, made me really moody, and consequently raised my blood pressure. Really don’t need that… ever.

I am hoping there is some relief in the future. I should also keep in mind what I need to do when things are so busy at work.  As an example, by taking a sick day, I was able to rest, relax, regain focus and get caught up a bit. My lab results also indicated that my kidney function is normal, actually better than normal. So, I can breathe a little easier.

Hopefully, I’m in for a relaxing weekend. I really need one.

Working 9 to 5

We’re in crunch time mode at work the last few weeks, and I have been working really long hours. Although I have been working from home three days a week, my projects have been taking up most of my time. I barely have time to cook or exercise. Fortunately, my husband still takes care of the household: he even cooks and encourages me time to take my walks or go to the gym. I definitely had no time to tweet, re-tweet, and blog.

I am somewhat surprised that the workday wears me out. Before my surgery, I remember working longer hours and did not feel as tired as I do now. This is with dialysis for three hours, three times a week and regular (but shorter) exercise sessions.

I do remind myself that it has been only a little over eight months since my surgery – not even a year. My body is probably still healing and adjusting. My scar still occasionally hurts, but not unbearable. Sitting eight or more hours per day also now hurts my back. Because of my surgery, I have only been doing minimal exercises to strengthen that area: mostly rotational exercises and light knee-to-chest stretches (at least working my way through it).     

I do think that as long as I continue to keep a few things in mind, I can adjust to my workload without sacrificing my health, and for that matter, my sanity.

Pace yourself: I was Ms. Multitasker before. Now, I am finding that doing two or three things at once is more distracting. I have to focus on one thing at a time and do the best job that I can. I prioritize the items on my list and do them according to priority (or what I can fit in at the time remaining). With this, I find that I am able to accomplish more important things. I also stop when I am getting to the point of diminishing returns, i.e. my brain is too full that I can barely function.

Continue eating healthy: It is very tempting to start eating junk food when working late. I still bring my lunch and snacks to work (Thanks to my husband): lunch is usually a combination of grains, veggies, and healthy proteins like chicken or vegetarian options. Snacks have been granola bars lately (with low glycemic index), but I really should go back to eating a variety fruits in the afternoon.

Take breaks: When I have been sitting for a long time or feeling mentally tired, I find that taking short breaks help me out. I take a short walk, some stretch breaks, and if I am working from home, maybe even take a meditation or hula dance break. After 5 or 10 minutes, I find that I have more energy to tackle the task-at-hand and am more mentally alert,

Continue being active: After a long workday, I find that exercising is helpful in releasing any stress from work or any mental pressure. It helps me take my mind off work and helps me relax in the evening. In fact, each time I go to my aikido or hula class, I sleep really well that evening (Again, I am thankful that my Hubby encourages me to have the time to exercise).

Rest! Although being continually engaged is tempting, R&R is very important. My husband also reminds me that I not only have I been working too hard, but also playing too hard: Aikido weekend three weeks ago then a hula workshop a week ago Although I am one of those geeky people who relax by blogging or looking at Pinterest, sometimes unplugging is really beneficial. Cooking, browsing through a magazine, reading a book, or just napping usually works for me. 

This advice probably applies to every one, but especially those who are coming back from medical leave. I am hoping that crunch time ends soon (hopefully next week) and I can have a semi-normal work life soon.

Enough blogging now… Back to work... On a Sunday!

Back to Work - Full time!

As of last week, I went back to work full-time. I had mixed feelings going back to full-time, since I had become used to and somewhat enjoyed my medical break routine: I walked in the morning, prepared and ate lunch, napped, and then walked again. I would even have the television on in the background to listen to Chopped, Kitchen Nightmares or CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. As I mentioned in one of my tweets this week, I have memorized most of the commercials – at least, those on CNN, BBC, and The Food Network (just ask my husband!).

I had planned to work from home all week, but my project required me to spend some time in the office. It was a welcome change to being home, but I was concerned about the drive and the ability to stay awake (no more naps!). My plan was to enjoy a phosphorus-caffeine-boost (translation: a soy coffee latte) midday to keep me up and about. An added bonus was being able to get new nail polish and a new CD this week – from an actual store!

Actually, things went quite well this week. I went into the office twice and got to interact, catch-up, and laugh with my friends at work. I was also able to both start and complete my project. The only casualties were a cancelled meeting (so I could complete my assignment), my jeans, and now a sore back. My tummy was still a bit bloated, so my jeans were really tight while I sat down.  Bummer, but it gives me a chance to wear (cute) dresses more and shop for accessories. The sore back may be due to sitting and not moving around very much. I guess my body is rebelling from sitting 8 hours a day in the same chair.

Next week is another full workweek. I am again hoping that I can work from home most of the days. However, as has been said before, the best laid plans often go astray. I probably should rest up!

Back to Work

I’m back to my day job, at least part-time this week. I am slowly introducing parts of my “normal” life back into my daily routine.  

I am a bit nervous coming back to work since I have been out for couple of months. To add to that, I will be working on a completely different project, so it will feel like an entirely new job.

My doctor and I planned on having this first week as a “warm-up” for when I return to full-time.  I really wanted to ease into things so I am doing my best to resist the temptation to work a full day. My manager is flexible enough to adjust my work hours.  I find it really easy to be enthusiastic and work a full day the first day, only to deal with getting too worn out after.  In fact, that happened on my second day. I worked for five and a half hours, only to be extremely tired that evening.

Also, as part of my first week, I mostly sat at my desk at home, instead of working from the couch. This should give me a chance to build up my energy to sit-up for a full day. Each day, I worked a bit more. I found that working kept my mind off my blood pressure, fluid retention, and weight gain, which may be mentally and physically healthier for me.  

My daily walks are now a treat, rather than a chore. At the end of the work day and after being indoors all day, I love being outdoors and enjoying the fresh air, sights, and sounds.

The next couple of weeks should be interesting. I suspect that I will not be able to blog as much or as long. In the coming months, I am hoping that I can slowly integrate the more fun things of my life, like going back to hula and aikido. Still, we’re taking it one step at a time.