Here’s the bad news! As a society, we’re pretty bad at giving ourselves permission to take a break.
And once we do give ourselves that long desired respite, we find it difficult to unplug completely.
Infact, in a recent Glassdoor report , many of us leave half of our allotted time off on the table. And I think it’s even worse for entrepreneurs, who say finding the time to take off is difficult.
And to add to that depressing statistic, according to Glassdoor, 66% of those who do take time off are WORKING on their vacations. So much for decompressing…we’re addicted to busy…
Here are 4 clear signs to know when it’s time to take a break.
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Your personal wellness is suffering and you are making yourself ill. This could show up as eating more fast food, skipping lunch, not drinking enough water, and forgoing movement and exercise. You catch more colds and cases of flu, your stomach and body aches, you suffer backaches, headaches and just feel crappy, yet you continue to push on. When we start to notice ourselves pushing our wellness aside in order to work more, this is a clear sign we need to take a break.
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Your personal life begins to fade away. When you start to feel disconnected or isolated from your friends and family, that’s a huge wake-up call. Ryan Frankel shares this story in Forbes “I recently asked a highly regarded serial entrepreneur what she regretted most in her career and she didn’t hesitate when she told me that she would trade all of the dollars in her bank account for lost quality time with her parents, husband, siblings, and children.” Quality time with those we love and enjoy is one of our most limited resources, so learning to maximize the investment in our relationships is key.
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Your tossing and turning all night and can’t get a good night’s rest. You find yourself having trouble falling asleep, and then when you finally do, you find yourself wide-awake thinking about work at 3 am, leaving you exhausted the following day. When we’re under stress the body can take on a hyper-alert state that can disrupt the restorative part of your sleep cycle. If you find your sleep suffering, this could be a good indicator that you need a little downtime.
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Your turning to wine or weed or unhealthy food choices to decompress from the stress of a busy day. When we use these substances habitually to bring us relief, we know they’ve become coping mechanism due to overwhelming stress at work. Those of us who are experiencing chronic stress and burnout may be more vulnerable to using alcohol, weed, and food as ways to ease stress in favor of healthier options like exercise, meditation and a healthy diet.
Health expert Dr. Mercola says “In short, many Americans find it hard to find a suitable work-life balance that allows them to pay the bills and earn financial security while still spending time with family and having ample free time for their own sanity.”
If you find yourself suffering any of the above, you know you’re overdue for some rest and relaxation. I challenge you to pull out the calendar and carve some personal time off for yourself in the next few weeks. You’ll thank me afterward!
Share your commitment to some downtime with us below. And as always, thanks for reading this mindful moment. I welcome your thoughts and comments, so don’t hold back.
Infinite ∞ Love,
Lyn
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