Have you ever thought about why we sometimes feel guilty for spending time on ourselves? It’s our subconscious that’s almost programmed to feel guilty in exchange for this time. I certainly fall into this. This sometimes happens to me when I take time to enjoy time with my friends or family, especially during slow times at work. In the back of my mind, I’m always thinking, I should be working. But should we?

Take time. Seriously. If the boss lets you out early, TAKE IT. Get your stuff as quickly as possible and get a fresh breath of air! You deserve time to yourself. Seriously. We all need a few extra days to take off work and enjoy time away.

Work is stressful. Give your mind and body a break.

But as someone who owns their own business, this is an easy trap to fall into. I only started paying attention to this a few weeks ago. The phone is what really gets me in trouble. I’m always connected. Work is at the tip of my fingers every day, same with you. At any time you can flip over to email and start reading through a recent email from a customer or boss. Sometimes you have to just say, “it can wait till Monday” and not feel guilty about it.

A good friend of mine never takes home her computer. She only does it at the end of the month when she’s trying to close deals. Meanwhile, most people make a point to always take home their laptop, regardless of what they have to to get done. I vote, shut it down and leave it till the next day. Let the mind recharge, rebuild and relax.

seriously…

Here are three reasons you should give yourself a break from work and not feel guilty…

Balance

We all know this and hear the words… work-life balance. It’s true. It takes on different shapes because we all have different lives but the message is the same. In order to maintain sanity and perspective, we need to invest in ourselves as much as we do with others. Making sure we are spreading out our time appropriately to ourselves and others is the key to long-term happiness.

Burnout

All of us have more than likely ended up in a place of utter exhaustion. We are just tired from doing whatever it is we are doing. We need something to change and we need time away. This will only change if we recognize the signs early enough. The best way to counter this is to make commitments to ourselves to invest in “me”. Do it. Do it every week. Every day if need be. It may be difficult to divert from your normal schedule at first because of the stuff that gets thrown at each of us on a daily basis. But I promise you that it will pay off and you will avoid getting to your breaking point.

Clarity

This comes only with recognition. We have to recognize where our breaking point is and what is causing us to get there. Only until this happens are we able to grasp what we can do along the way to prevent that from happening. Write it down and leave it somewhere to remind you. Take the time to truly look at the situation and understand what you need to do to maintain happiness. Once that is crystal clear you can begin building out a plan for yourself. It takes time but it is the most crucial step.

But also remember…

With all this, be sure to take the time off work. But when it’s time to be back in the office, jump back in head first. The reason these types of long weekends can be troublesome is that it can take people a few days to get back on track. Take the time to unwind and get ready for your next day back in the office.

After a long weekend, I thought this would be a good time to shed light on something I have been thinking a lot about. I know we all face it. Remember, we need our sanity. No matter what’s going on, invest time in yourself. Relax and re-energize. Find balance. You will thank yourself!

Thanks for reading. Have a great Monday!

xo, Olivia

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