Permission to Take a Break

As a kid, I know I looked forward to summer. Unstructured days of pure freedom! As adults, though, we obviously have obligations to take care of, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a break, too. Since it’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life that we create for ourselves, I’m giving you permission to take a break with ideas on how to embrace some downtime this summer. 

What If You Like to Be Busy?

I am one of those people who enjoys having things to do. I love running a business, taking care of the home, walking the dog, and being a parent, and I enjoy accomplishing things. When I have more to do, it seems that I get more done! Now I know that I need to slow down a few times a year and give myself a break, but it wasn’t always that way (or easy to do).

I used to feel guilty about taking a few days off, because I felt like I was supposed to work as much as possible. I recall a holiday we took to Whistler, and there was a snowstorm the day we were supposed to come home. We could have waited one more day, but I HAD to work, so we set out in the storm. The trip took us nine hours, instead of the two hours if we had waited a day. 

When the kids were little, I was also very go-go-go. For one thing, they literally need you all the time. But even when presented with a break, I rarely took one. My husband once surprised me for our anniversary with a night out downtown, including a hotel stay and a babysitter. The girls were very little and all I could think about that evening was that the next day was going to be so much extra work for me because the girls would be over-tired. I didn’t allow myself the breaks that I needed, which meant I was missing out on enjoying things like a night with my husband.

We can feel like taking a break is going to put us behind on all of the things we need to accomplish. The truth though, is that pausing your regular routine to do something different can actually help you to be more productive.  

You Need to Take a Break

Even though I sometimes push back against taking a break, every time that I do I am grateful and usually pleasantly surprised at what I get from it. A good example of this is when I took time away from my studio in March to go to a retreat. It was a difficult decision,  because I always try to be there for my clients as much as I can be;  this was an extra 5 days off over and above my normal vacation time! To be fair, it was a business retreat so I was working, but it was such a refreshing break from my day to day. It was life-changing and had me so excited, organized, creative, and productive when I got back home.  

A nap can even be the break that I need, sometimes. If I’m dozing off at my computer midday, I will set an alarm and sleep for 20 to 30 minutes once in a while. Rather than dragging my butt the rest of the day, I feel energized and more alert.

Seeing how this is a fitness blog, I will say that fitness is also a great way to take a pause. Clear your mind with a walk or run outside, or do one of your favourite workouts to focus on something else for an hour. 

I’m also going to remind you to take a break from exercise once in a while as well.  Going hard every day will exhaust you, and you can burn out physically or get injured. You definitely need a rest day (or two) a week to let your muscles recover, repair, and get stronger. 

I’ve been encouraging you to keep moving even on vacation, but it’s essential to listen to your body and give it a break sometimes. That could be a day, or even a week. Take a break, take care of yourself, and you’ll thank yourself after. 

Take A Break with These Ideas

Taking a break can mean many things, and it doesn’t always need to take a lot of money or time to help you feel refreshed. Why don’t you take a vacation, staycation, or bath. Or make an appointment with yourself to do a workout, call a friend or family member, read a book, or make a lunch date with a friend. Break up the everyday activities to take care of yourself!