You get the oxygen first

A friend of mine has been struggling with finding time for himself because he's a key volunteer in his church and people lean on him - maybe too much. There's no time left for him to take care of himself - so he says.
     It reminds me of when I started out in this business of kids lit, I was a work-a-holic. I was in my office 24/7 with long hours, because I knew if I wasn't working, things weren't going to move forward in my career.
     It nearly drove me into the ground.
     One of the hardest parts of working for yourself (or being in charge of your own schedule) is realizing that you have to TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST.
     It's the old airplane rule - if oxygen masks drop from the overhead, you put on your mask first, THEN you help the person next to you. Because if you try to help the other person first, you may not be conscious long enough to finish the job and that would mean two people down instead of one.
     You can't give back, and you can't create, if you've let yourself drain down to empty. You've got to fill yourself up first. However you do that - through sleep, exercise, diet. Whatever it is, you've got to do it. And if you do - you'll find you have more to give, and more energy to be productive, than you ever did before.