“Sometimes, the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” – Etty Hillesum
By the end of the day on Wednesday, I had already put in a full week’s worth of work. I felt drained, exhausted, and overtired. Between taking care of our new puppy, prepping interim procedures for 4 audit clients set to run in January, and sticking to my exercise routine, the days felt like a blur (and still sort of do). I share this with you not to seek out sympathy, but to exude empathy.
Our careers can oftentimes be as demanding as they are rewarding. Sometimes, it might feel like our jobs have taken over our lives. I know I have personally felt like this on multiple occasions. We might get overwhelmed with meetings to attend, audits to complete and reports to submit. Some of us can’t even remember the last time we took some time to just relax and recharge.
In this fast paced world, many of us might fall out of alignment. We want to be active and productive, but to achieve productivity, not to mention balance and fulfillment, we need to take breaks from the stress of modern life. Chronic stress can lead to a whole host of serious health conditions so to counter its impact, it’s vital we make time for activities that are purely fun, relaxing and nurturing. When I take 30 minute breaks throughout the day to play with my puppy, I can literally feel the stress pour out of my body.
Managing our calendars can often feel like playing an unwinnable game of Tetris, but it’s important we take time throughout the day for ourselves. Engage in activities that are soothing, relaxing, and even sociable. For instance, playing a game with your kids or reuniting with a close friend for coffee is truly healing. And if your brain is too tired for those activities, Netflix always has your back. Too often, we deprioritize self-care activities because we view self-nurturing with guilt and self-judgment. But when we don’t take time to rejuvenate, our energy levels diminish. So make sure to schedule some pure enjoyment into your busy day today.
Make it a great one!
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