Self-Care September Day 17: Take a Break

There was no #selfcareseptember tip yesterday, not here on the blog nor anywhere on social media, and today's tip explains why: it's important (imperative, even!) to Take a Break once in a while.

Your mental health matters just as much if not more than your physical health, and one way to care for it is to conscientiously step away from social media, phone and computer screens, incessant news updates and/or the daily grind on your own terms, rather than waiting for burn out or overwhelm or illness to force it. 

I've long been on a personal quest to stop the glorification of "being busy." As I see it, a jam-packed calendar and over-scheduled life isn't an impressive feat, it actually reads more as a call for help from someone who either doesn't know how or simply won't respect their own personal time, which means they won't be able to acknowledge or respect yours.

Resting  - either one day a week or for multiple smaller pockets each day - is an essential component of working smarter not harder (another personal favorite mantra of mine.) 

Sleep scientists have found that napping is an effective way to recharge our mental batteries, as it decrease fatigue and increases alertness, while other research shows that working long hours can lead to stress, burnout, disengagement from work, and poorer performance on the job. It can also kill creativity and innovation.

So if you want to do your best work and live your happiest life, its wise to give yourself regular breaks from your responsibilities, whatever that looks like for you.  

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Self-Care September Day 17: Take a Break

You have permission.

I love you and will see you soon!
xo,
Coach Alex