This phrase cropped up when a friend and I were discussing pacing (Gupta style.)
It made me think about boundaries, especially. Boundaries can be like fences around a vegetable garden. The fence keeps out those animals which could eat the veg before we harvest them. Like Peter Rabbit in the Beatrix Potter stories.
My boundaries keep out my temptation to do too much for my health and wellbeing; which is self-preservation by boundaries.
When I last had a virus I was practicing pacing in that I rested/meditated more frequently than is my norm as a fully healthy ex-CFS person. (Or Gupta Graduate, having fully recovered by using the gupta program.)
A friend said “I noticed you’ve been struggling recently.” But I hadn’t been struggling, I had been pacing myself in order not to struggle (which would have happened otherwise.)
Pacing is one of my boundaries for life.
But my pacing now is very different to my pacing while I was ill. Then I did very little, tiny steps, and with long breaks between each activity. Now I can do masses both physically, mentally and emotionally. My pacing involves changing the type of activity, or doing a meditation as a pick me up when I am tired. 
