I learned this the hard way! The two years prior to the pandemic were spent advocating for my son, battling with his (now former) school, to the point of total burn-out and exhaustion. When I tried to rebound in my normal way, I was still exhausted, even though the stress was greatly reduced by having moved him to a much better school. I was still irritable and edgy, not my best self, and less patient with my son. Then the pandemic forced us to slow down. I've recognized that when I take time to refresh and refill my energy, then I am a better mom and generally feel better. I'm not less productive, and I don't have to beat myself up for not getting things done. In the end, I probably accomplish more because I don't feel quite so frazzled (this ADHD brain sure keeps me hoppin' though).