Steady-State or Ebb and Flow?

How do you run your life?

You may not be like me, but then again, you may be exactly like me.  My life is a series of ebbs and flows. For those of you not familiar with the sea jargon aspect of the phrase, ebbs and flows refer to retreating tides (ebb) and gaining tides (flow) which is a very apt description of how I take on activities, events and other challenges in my life. 

If you were to look back on the years that make up my life, you would see times when I would take on project after project, challenge after challenge (think flow) until I would get to a certain point of saturation (high tide).  The needs of the various projects, my job, education and family needs would add up and take their toll. So, I would start to pull back (ebb), finishing a project and not picking up another.  

Each time I would drop an activity I would feel that it wasn’t enough. More recovery was needed, so I would drop another, again and again, until I was down to the bare-bones of activities.  I would sit and recover, doing only what needed to be done.  Eventually, I would get bored and then I would hit the ground running, starting the cycle all over again.

When I started teaching, the ebb and flow of my life naturally fit with the school year.  In August I would ramp up for the start of school for both me and the boys. September we would get all set with clubs, meetings and sports.  “High tide” would come when all of them are up and running.  Ebb flow starts once we get to the end of October and we start dropping fall activities.  Mid-November, we’re at low tide.  Then, it’s time to ramp up for the holiday season and any winter activities.  Shopping, parties, presents, travel.  It’s flow tide and it all ends mid January when mid-year exams are done.  Then, another ebb tide until April.  With April comes more holidays and birthdays and sports. The same goes for May, and then June finishes with final exams and the end of school.  We have a ton of summer activities, but I would say that overall the summer fits the ebb tide tide model, since most of them are centered around having fun. 

Oddly enough, even though it was already known that September/October and April/May were going to be difficult months,  I would still add in more events like races, crazy cleaning projects or things like building gardens.  All in all,  I’d say the ebb and flow model works for me.  As if once I get the adrenaline flowing, it’s safe and even ideal for me to add things in.  But once I am tapped, I need to pull back unless I want to risk hurting myself physically and mentally. And sometimes, the recovery is rough.  

Would being a steady state performer be better for me?  Is my ebb and flow a habit or ingrained?  When I think about steady state, I think about being strict in what I can take on and having an exercise regimen that I don’t vary from very much.  Same basic routine day in and day out.  That could be good.  No down time really, so in theory I should be more productive. I have to admit though…it doesn’t sound…exciting.

I’m not fully convinced that one strategy is better than the other.  On the one hand, steady-state is great because you know what’s coming.  It’s even better when you have a strategy in place to address unexpected events.  Day in , day out, you can plan for what you need to do.  

On the other hand, ebb and flow is great because even though the low isn’t super productive, it gives you time to reflect.  And, when things are hectic and full speed, and you’re getting everything done, the feeling is like you are on top of the world. 

Does it boil down to would you rather be dependable and predictable or capable of unbelievable things but only for spurts? I would like to be the person who is dependable,  predictable (in an unboring way), and capable of unbelievable things all of the time.   But to be this person, it may take a mesh of a steady-state way of living with my current ebb and flow.

What does a steady-state ebb and flow look like? A steady-state ebb and flow would continue to have busy and slow periods during the year, but they carved out of the calendar and would have limitations.  Events that are optional would have to meet a time criteria so that down time during the year is not interrupted. There would also be a finite number of extras that could be added to plate to keep from being overwhelmed. 

What about ebb and flow steady-state.   A steady state with ebb and flow qualities.  This way of living would be consistent, but with “rev” up activities for a limited amount of time.  Instead of adding things like races and projects during the non-negotiable times of the year, they would be incorporated throughout the year and their planning would be deliberate instead of spur of the moment.  There would still be busy times and down times, but the overall feeling would be much more copasetic.

Hmm….I think to be the best performer I can be, I would still have to have my ups and downs, but I need to be more deliberate about what’s included, time restraints and how I plan for unknowns.  Steady state with a little up and down sounds too boring.  I’ve always been one to want to shake it up!

So, what about you?  What is your lifestyle now and what do you want?  More of the same?  Mesh of both?  Don’t know?

Looking at the pictures I chose for this blog, I am reminded of a very similar question.  One of them was taken in San Diego.  I long for San Diego in the winter!! 

The other similar question is, would you rather live somewhere with the same season all year round (steady state), or with all four seasons (ebb and flow)? 

Please feel free to comment below (very bottom of the page).  

Happy April!!!