There’s a lot of pressure to keep going in our world. We’re told that we need to keep doing more, being more, and beating everyone else. You believe that if you want to succeed, you need to be the busiest and most productive person out there.
Working too hard can cause us to feel terrible. What’s the use in success if we’re unhappy or unwell? Life is exhausting and we all need to know when to take a break.
Burn Out
Sometime last year, I bought into the notion that you need to stay busy to be happy. I worked a full-time job, worked freelance, studied, had multiple personal projects, and tried to keep my social life going all at the same time. With all these things to do, I often found myself going without sleep just to finish it all.
It’s no wonder then, that I quickly became burnt out. I had reached my limit and simply could not do anymore. It caused me to take a whole two-week break, during which time I was so stressed about everything I could be getting done.
If you work constantly, this could happen to you too. You could find yourself in the midst of a mental breakdown, or just constantly feeling irritated and stressed. This is not a good way to live.
It’s Not Selfish
I know that it can be hard to take a break. You might feel guilty for wasting your time or think that it’s selfish to take time just for yourself. It’s important to remember that you are not selfish for needing a break, you’re listening to what your body is telling you.
Looking after your mental and physical health is crucial. It’s a form of self-love that we all need to practice. Instead of allowing ourselves to become emotionally or physically exhausted, we need to rest, relax, and rejuvenate ourselves.
If you’re too tired to keep going, it’s going to affect you and the people around you. You won’t have the energy to keep up with everything that you need to. You’ll end up letting people down, missing deadlines, and canceling social plans. Taking a break doesn’t just benefit you, it also benefits the people around you.
Look After Your Health
You have your whole life to work, so remember to rest. Even if it’s just 5 minutes every day before bed, you need to relax. In the long run, you’ll thank yourself and you’ll feel so much better for it.
When your body is screaming at you that it’s had enough, listen to it. You know what’s best for you, so do it. Instead of forcing yourself to keep going or drinking absurd amounts of coffee just to stay awake, slow down. Take a breath, sit in the quiet, read a book, or take a nap. Do whatever is going to help you.
If your job is what’s keeping you on your feet at all times, remember that it shouldn’t take over your whole life. There’s an important quote that I like to remember from time to time – “You’re killing yourself for a job that would replace you within a week if you dropped dead.” Take it easy and remember that your health always comes first.
It’s only human to become exhausted if we keep working for too long. No matter how much you may tell yourself otherwise, you do need to take a break from time to time. Don’t fight it when you know that you’ve had enough. Your wellbeing is more important than overachieving.
Share this article with your friends and family. We all need to learn that it’s okay to take a break sometimes.
