JumpStart Cheese Lovers Day (1/20/25)

QUOTE:  "Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration, and resentment."

MESSAGE:   Has this every happened to you?It’s the end of the school day, the kids just left, and you find yourself staring into space? Or what about when you go for a road trip and you’re exhausted by then end even though you’ve sat in the car all day?

That’s mental fatigue.

The first example was active mental fatigue, and the second was passive. Active MF occurs with tasks requiring high cognitive load and/or a lot of executive functioning. Passive MF happens when you experience prolonged periods of mental inactivity.

I also believe that there is another sort of mental fatigue brought about by emotional overload, like when you’re stressed about a project or an upcoming event, or worried about someone/something. When the project or worry is gone, you collapse in exhaustion.

What can you do about it?

Mental fatigue can be exacerbated by (among other things) stress, boredom, or a lack of sleep. Go through this 3-step sequence to see if you can lessen its effects:
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1. Stop - When you start feeling either active or passive MF, stop what you’re doing (even if it’s nothing)
2. Check-in - Notice what you’ve been doing to feel this way, compare it to similar instances in the past.  Notice where in your body you are feeling the symptoms.  What made you aware of your MF?
3. Adjust - What do you need to change?  Activity level?  Take a break?  Talk to someone?  Breathe?  Sleep Hygiene?  Deal with stuff so you can make room for other stuff?

THIS WEEK, TRY THIS: The important part here is the pause. When your body or mind feels weird or acts in a way that’s not normal, it’s time to take a minute to assess the situation. When you find yourself staring into space, ask yourself why it happened? Without being judgmental, figure out the best way to move forward.

DAD JOKE:  How Dad are you?  How many of these do you say?

1. "Glad we're not going that way." (when seeing traffic on the other side of the road)
2. "Can't get very far without these!" (after forgetting the car keys)
3. "Look, horses!" (when driving past horses)
4. "I'm not paying to heat the whole neighborhood!" (when the door is left open)
5. "It's not heavy, just awkward." (when carrying something heavy)