Taking time off

Taking time off left a lot of my friends and family reaching out to me, concerned about my well being and my somewhat disappearance from social media. Your phone calls and messages really warmed my heart. I am doing great…thanks for asking y’all. You guys rock and I love you all!

I pushed myself through so many hours of mental strategizing that I noticed my brain began to push back. My brain was constantly sprinting like it was running a marathon. I had so many deadlines and besides, I was vigorously searching for a job too, which in itself is a full-time job!

Albeit I love writing and sharing my life experiences to educate and inspire people, I simply lacked motivation. I attributed my inability to write as experiencing writer’s block but in point of fact, I was just exhausted.

I noticed that ideas weren’t as forthcoming as they used to, and some task became very laborious to complete. I just wasn’t as swift as I used to be.

If you are anything like me, at this point, I began to scold myself for not doing enough. I constantly reminded myself of where I came from and there’s no room to be a slacker but to strive and work harder. But not this time, I made a decision to take time off.

Important Tips:

• We all have our limits: It could be physical, mental or emotional. Sometimes we just get so stressed out that our bodies, brain, and emotions rebel and insist on a break. When this happens, it is advisable to take the much-needed break. Despite life challenges, I find that zoning out and just letting my mind wander helps me relax and be more productive when I refocus on cognitive functioning.

 

• Listen to your body: Our bodies have a way of communicating that it needs rest. We know ourselves better than anyone else could. Take a mental health day off and unplug. Put the electronics and phones aside and get some quality rest. Silence is good for the brain.

 

• Knowing when to stop: We often think that long hours lead to greater production but that is not always the case. Knowing when to stop working and practicing deliberate rest is an effective way of stimulating the think-outside-the-box moment and cushions against stress.

 

• • Practice self-care: Most women feel guilty about having their alone time because they feel they should be taking care of everyone else, neglecting themselves. Taking care of yourself makes you happy enough to take care of everyone else you care about. You do not need any justification to get your alone time. Stress is counterproductive and everything we often stress about can wait well after you find time to practice self-care.

 

• Take time off: Be intentional to give your body, brain, emotions some rest when you feel exhausted or feel the need to. It seems like an impossible task not to think of the never-ending challenges of life but you really need to give yourself some time of rest. Watch a movie, go for a walk, have dinner with friends and enjoy a dirty martini!😉

 

I took time off and I was able to achieve so much after my much deserved rest. I landed myself a job and ultimately I’m back to my passion…WRITING! Be kind and never hesitate to take time off.