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After a few days of hard work that really paid off I decided to take it easy today. The only things on my to-do list for the day were yoga, cook, and curl up with a couple of good reads. This was all going smoothly until I suddenly felt guilty for not working. I kept thinking, “I have so much to do!,” “I need to write x article for y publication!”, or “If I stop now I’ll never reach my monthly goal!”
Sound familiar?
For some reason, we humans tend to feel kind of guilty when we decide to take a break on a Tuesday instead of Sunday. Even if we are ahead of our goals, we always feel like we have to do MORE, which is fine, except when we forget to take a few minutes to breathe. Humans are not robots, we are living breathing things that need to recharge. So if you feel the need to just take a step back and breathe, feel free to do so and use these tips to make the best of your break time.
Tips for Taking Guilt Free Breaks
1. Schedule some time off into your calendar.
Just like with sickness, the best treatment for being worn out is preventing it from happening in the first place. Set some time off from your work. This of course may vary by preference, if you work better by taking little breaks throughout the day then schedule them in. If you are anything like me, then you can’t be disrupted when you are in the zone, so instead of scheduling little breaks schedule entire days off.
2. Know when you have had enough.
If you are reaching your breaking point, you need to take a step back. If you are feeling yourself getting worn down, stop what you are doing and relax. If you wear yourself out completely you will end up sick, depressed, and frustrated all of which serve no purpose in terms of productivity anyway.
2. Enjoy some alone time and do something for yourself.
Taking a break from your work does not mean cooking for your kids, cleaning the bathroom, paying the bills, or doing whatever tasks you have been putting off for weeks. Taking a break means doing absolutely nothing and enjoying sometime to yourself. I know this concept may be a little hard to grasp but repeat after me: you deserve some time for yourself.
Sit outside, take a bath, read a book, write in a journal, meditate, exercise, do whatever it is that relaxes you for just a little while. Just make sure to avoid technology as it usually just keeps your brain going at about 100 mph.
The Benefits of Taking a Break
1. Recharge
The brain and body need to rest. Allowing your batteries to recharge makes way for some serious productivity when you get back to work.
2. New perspective.
Sometimes when you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed it seems like everything is going to cave in on you. By taking a few minutes just to breathe you can gain some new perspective which you can use to tackle your challenges head on.
3. You learn to enjoy yourself.
Taking some time for yourself allows for reflection and paves the way for getting to know yourself better. Eventually you will be able to let it all hang out without worrying about what other people may think.
4. You now have time to try new things.
Taking a break period may be a new concept to you, but you’d be surprised at what new things you have the opportunity to experience just from taking some time off.
Whether you decide to take a little breaks or one big one, always remember that is okay to take time to recharge. In fact, it is more than okay, it’s necessary. In no time you will start to notice the difference taking a little time off makes in your work, your mood, and overall wellbeing.
More Resources on Taking Breaks:
Good Life Zen – The Power of Solitude
Zen Habits – 6 Seconds to Relax
Web Worker Daily – The Importance of Breaks and Time Off
Lifehack- The Not-Do-List: 9 Things You Need to Stop Doing
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[...] may recall that I wrote about the importance of taking breaks, this week is kind of similar. Except instead of completely relaxing and doing nothing (since I am [...]