Do you feel immense relief anytime the world suddenly gives you a day off? Maybe the power goes out at work during the summer, and your boss tells you not to come in because they don’t have air conditioning. During the winter, this could take the form of a sudden snow day where you get to stay home and build a snowman with your kids.
Such surprises can be pretty pleasant, but if you find yourself craving them, you might not be taking enough time for yourself as a regular matter in life. You need to remember that taking a break is a good move once in a while.
It’s hard to admit that you need a break. Society is so obsessed with perfection and productivity. How much you get done in life is how others and even yourself judge you. So, taking time to unplug means facing two different fears at the same time. For starters, you’re not actively doing anything that seems proper. Second, you have to admit that you’re not infallible.
Taking a break requires courage to admit and even more to do it. Fortunately, there are many ways that you can go about doing it.
One easy way to practice self-care is to just turn the smartphone off. You might not want to admit your social media and texting addictions, and that’s okay. They’ll still be there when you turn the phone back on, but for a while, you can tune in to the world that’s around you.
Learning how to say no is one of the most basic ways of setting personal boundaries. If you lack the energy to do something someone else wants, then don’t do it. Even things you might want to do or feel like you should do are things that can still drain you. You can’t serve others when your own cup is empty.
Treat yourself when you can. Routines can turn into a rut. Once in a while, break your rules and splurge a bit.
Don’t wait for snow days or power outages at work for a day off. Make sure your days off are actually days off. If you get two days off from work a week, are you actually using them? Or do family, friends, and your to-do list eat it all up?