Don't Let Life Pass Too Quickly

Darrell Takes Daily 'Pit Stops'

Two months ago, I helped my oldest daughter, Megan, move into her freshman apartment. I can't believe she's out of our house and in college - I didn't think the months between her graduation and move-in date would go by so fast!

When we first started getting her things packed and ready to move, and as we were getting close to her move-in day, I started to get a little overwhelmed by all of the work that we needed to do. But when we got there, and as we began unpacking the boxes, it all started coming together! It was much easier than I thought it would be.

I've found that in all of life's situations, it's never as hard as you originally anticipate it to be. It's all about your perspective. And a lot of times when someone is feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or burnt out, it's a result of low energy or poor management of the mind.

Dwelling on the past or negative circumstances makes it hard to focus our mental energy on what is right in front of us. If we keep our minds clear and focus on the present, we make better choices and are so much more productive. Another benefit of being present is that we experience all of the little things of life happening around us. All this creates good energy and actually prevents burnout!

Another thing about energy is that I believe we generate it. We can also lose it if not managed correctly. Whenever we feel tired, we can have more energy by just moving. To keep my energy up while at work, and to help prevent burnout throughout the day, I use a timer and set it to 90 minutes. I named this timer on my phone "Pit Stop." I only perform focused work, then as soon as the timer goes off, I move away from whatever I am working on. Usually for about five minutes, but even if it's one minute, I take a short walk outside and get some fresh air. Sometimes I do a quick bodyweight exercise or just walk a little inside the lab while taking deep breaths. I also close my eyes to give them a break. Then, I set my intentions on what needs to get done and start the pit stop timer again before continuing with more deep-focused work.

Every night before bed, I reflect on how the day went. This helps me discover how I overcame obstacles and helps me adjust my strategies in case that situation happens again. Another great benefit of doing this nightly is that it causes me to automatically start looking for anything positive throughout each day. It allows me to stop and notice more of the day, instead of missing it from being busy. Otherwise, my day gets mixed in with the next day and all the busyness of the days can slip by and become a big blur. Being a lab owner and a busy doctor like yourself — there's always something to do at work and we never feel caught up!

And most importantly, one of the best ways to avoid feeling overwhelmed is to surround ourselves with positive people. Negative people, whether we're conscious of it or not, can affect our mood and the way we think. Upbeat people can help us gain a new perspective, and they can support and encourage us when we're feeling overwhelmed.

What do you do when you feel like you're being stretched too thin? Do you have any tips or strategies to overcome those obstacles?