Last month, right before Idul Fitri break, we had potluck 'bukber' in the office. We shared the growing numbers of our members, traffic, sales and other achievements during the first 6 months of 2014. Happy that we improved a lot compared to the first 6 months of last year. Thank you for all of your contribution, team :)). 

In the spirit of Ramadhan and closing the 1st semester on a good note, we shared 3 things we were thankful for that happened to us recently. It was good to hear everyone's story and it felt good to share, too however small it seems. There were times when were were so caught up with things at work that we forgot to be grateful for the 'little' things we take for granted. 

One of the things that I was thankful for was the fact that I was healthy.  The few months before had been a little rough on my health. I think I have visited more doctors in the past months that I have been in my adult life, outside of pregnancy period.

It started when I dislocated my kneecap and couldn't walk properly. I befriended with my flats and walked really slowly for two weeks after spending the first few days on the bed. Not fun. I went to two different doctors and had my knee X-rayed and did home therapies.

After that, I had laryngitis for 3 months straight, about a week at a time. My voice went hoarse I was banned from talking, my throat hurts it was just miserable. I went to otolaryngologist and he instantly said I was stressed out and had to take things easy! He said whenever I am under stress, my neck goes tense that it changes the shape of my vocal cord, hence; the hoarse voice :(. I didn't know that stress affects people differently and it actually stressed me even more to have a doctor telling me I was stressed :D. He ordered me to have enough sleep, no less than 8 hours. There's no other cure, he said. Just enough rest and smile more!

Right before Ramadhan, something was wrong with my left eye. It had spasm on and off the whole day for more than a month. There were also times when I felt a tingling sensation on my left hand.  The neurologist asked me to do an MRI pronto because he's afraid it has something to do with the brain or the nerve system. I went for the MRI and thankfully there was nothing to be concerned. Again, they said it's probably a case of being too stretched out.

Other than those 3 major concerns, there were always the on and off migraines and the overall feeling of tiredness. 

So what happened? I thought I live quite a healthy lifestyle, I exercise regularly and eat healthy food 80% of the time. I don't smoke nor drink alcohol. On a personal level, I live a happy and drama-free life. Turned out, those are not enough. The demanding workload started to take its toll on me. I worked hard. I worked all day at the office, at night on my bed and I regularly work during the weekend. Heavy workload is actually manageable when it's just a list of things to do, but there are bigger things that are beyond my control that cannot be crossed off within an hour. That one is tough and just unconsciously occupy my mind every waking hour. On top of that, I had not been very gentle on my body that I didn't give it enough rest to recharge. Sometimes, I forgot I'm not that young anymore :P. Plus, being a working mother, you always have that guilt of not being there more for the family, and the guilt just eat you inside. 

So anyway, I am slowing down now. Doesn't mean I give up responsibilities at the office but I'm trying to manage my time and my energy better by prioritizing things and knowing when to stop. I work on my agenda and don't let emails dictate the way I work. I keep things fresh by working from different places so I don't get caught up with the day to day detail and can just focus on the bigger picture. I also make it a point to meet different and inspiring people every week, to chat, pick their brain and exchange stories. I now go home early and eat dinner with the kids and help them with their homework. Being able to do that keeps me content. I'm also taking up a private Pilates class to help me relax and release the tension. I regularly write on my thankful note again to emphasize & amplified the positive.

Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. And the rest of this year won't be a walk in the park. I need to find ways to nurture my physical and mental well being to avoid burnout. After all, I only have one body, I better take care of it properly!