When I got hit with Central Serous Retinopathy, my first instinct was to shut everything down.
That’s what the research made it sound like:
“Rest more.”
“Stress less.”
“Stop doing so much.”
But here’s the thing—I like doing things.
I’m not built to lie on a yoga mat all day and call that recovery.
I still wanted to perform—just not at the cost of my body short-circuiting again.
So I rebuilt my routine to protect my recovery without killing my edge.
Here’s how.
1. I Split My Day Into Zones
I stopped scheduling based on productivity blocks.
Instead, I created zones:
- Recovery Zone (5–8 AM):
Wake, walk, light breakfast, zero screens.
This is nervous system reset time. - Performance Zone (9–12 PM):
Deep work only. Focused tasks. No distractions.
This is where I go hard—then shut it down. - Buffer Zone (12–3 PM):
Light admin, creative work, or recovery tasks.
I stopped cramming this window with meetings. - Low-Stim Zone (3 PM onward):
No heavy thinking. Walks, calls, meals, planning tomorrow.
After 6:00 PM = wind-down only. Protects sleep.
This gave my day rhythm without dropping intensity.
2. I Built My Work Schedule Around Energy, Not Ego
Before CSR, I said yes to everything.
Every opportunity. Every task. Every time slot.
After CSR?
I block:
- Only 2–3 focused meetings a day (max)
- No video calls past 2 PM
- Buffer time before and after anything important
- No stacked tasks. Period.
The result?
I get more done—with less rework, less anxiety, and less crash.
3. I Set Boundaries I Actually Enforce
- No screen time after 8 PM
- No coffee after 1 PM
- No social media during deep work blocks
- No email inbox before 9 AM
These rules aren’t flexible.
Because my recovery isn’t optional.
Every time I broke them, I paid for it.
Every time I honored them, I won the next day.
4. I Added Short Recovery Rituals That Actually Stick
- 3-minute breathwork between tasks
- 10-minute walk before lunch
- 5-minute reset before the workday ends
- 20-minute body scan before bed
These aren’t “wellness hacks.”
They’re system updates—little moments that keep me from slipping back into the old grind pattern.
5. I Treat My Calendar Like a Nervous System Map
If a week looks stacked, I fix it.
If a day has no white space, I cancel something.
If a stretch of time feels out of rhythm—I build the fix in before it becomes a problem.
Planning isn’t about control anymore.
It’s about sustainability.
Bottom Line
You don’t have to give up your edge to recover from CSR.
But you do have to rewire the way you move through your day.
The goal isn’t to stop building.
It’s to build smarter—with a system that keeps you clear, focused, and out of flare territory.
