It’s ok to take a break! Unplug from the world and take a few minutes or days to rest, relax and rejuvenate.
Good morning friends, how are you? Did you manage to catch up on your sleep this week? Are you feeling a spring in your step since it is officially Spring? Or are you feeling like me, a little tired and worn out? I have been traveling the last 5 days and although I had not intended to, I decided to take a break. I turned off my computer, did not check or post on Instagram, gave Facebook and Twitter a pass as well and you know what? It felt great.
It’s Ok to Take a Break and Unplug
Normally, I write and schedule blog posts ahead if I am traveling but I didn’t have the time this past week to write them or photograph them, and by the time I returned to the hotel at night I was too tired and frankly, I didn’t feel like writing a post.
I am not sure if it’s because of the time change and I haven’t been sleeping well. Perhaps world events are getting me down or the fact that we have been in our house for 9 months and still have 3 bathrooms and a kitchen that are unfinished. I won’t go into the details because I know that everyone is having the same problem, supply chain, workers, etc. I am not sure what it is or was but I just needed a break.
The stress of life, relationships, jobs, family and can sometimes feel overwhelming and they can also affect your mental and physical health. Headaches, gastrointestinal issues, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, asthma, and obesity are just a few of the health problems related to stress.[1]
Thankfully, I was not experiencing any of these health problems but many people are and do not realize that these health issues are stress related.
Signs You Need a Break
- fatigue
- lack of sleep
- lack of energy
- changes in eating habits
- low or no motivation
- physical symptoms, headaches, stomaches
- mood swings
- frustration
Benefits of Taking a Break
- Reduced stress
- Rest
- Improved health
- More energy
- Increased productivity
- Mental clarity
- Enjoy Life
How to take a break
Staycation
Staycations are easy to take because it is all about home sweet home. Resting, relaxing and rejuvenating in your home or your town. Bring out a puzzle, your paints, knitting, or a pile of books and magazines, take the time to reconnect to your hobbies. Sometime though when we are on a staycation we let work or all of the tasks and to do’s take over, just be mindful and try not to let this happen.
Vacation
A vacation is just that, a break from work, family, life and the world. Sadly for most of us work seems to creep into vacations because of technology. Be mindful if you take a vacation to be present with the people you are with and enjoy the destination. Try to remember what life was like before we felt the need to post everything on Instagram.
Break
Sometimes a short break from your day of meetings, carpool, and obligations is all you need to lift your mood and reset your body and mind from the stress of life. Go for a walk or a hike, take a bike ride, do some yoga, watch a movie, read a book or just be.
Nature and time outside is a great way to relieve stress and get some much needed vitamin D.
Social Media Break
Unplug your devices, take a break from checking your phone, scrolling mindlessly on Instagram and watching Youtube videos. Enjoy your life, the people in it and around you.
All of that is to say, we all need a break from time to time to rest, relax, rejuvenate and to relive stress. Take the time I am home, feeling rested, not totally reset but rested, and I will be back tomorrow with my regularly scheduled posts.
Have a great day friends thank you for stopping by and spending part of your day with me. Before you go tell me:
What do your do to de-stress?
Do you take breaks when you need them?
What is your favorite thing to do on a staycation?
Do you have a vacation planned in the future?
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Thank you for this post. So many of us needed to hear it and just TAKE a BREAK.
Mary, you are so right, especially women!
Very timely! I have declared a snow day today – we live in the UP of Michigan and we’re in the middle of a big ice storm, with 9 more inches of snow on the way today. I’m signing off the internet, reading “The Paris Apartment,” drinking hot chocolate, firing up the woodstove and taking a nap! Schedule spring cleaning can wait another day!
Amy, a break is definitely what you need. I was born in Michigan and lived there until I was 7, I remember big snow falls and lots of snow days. Enjoy! By the way, The Paris Apartment is a great book and you can never go wrong with hot chocolate.
Last month was difficult due to events in my city. Things are improving.
Happy to hear things are getting better William, I hope that you are seeing signs of Spring!
Great suggestion. I took an unintentional break from the computer recently and it felt great. I didn’t know I needed it, until I stepped back.
Thank you Kim. I think it is easy to be sweet away by online and it is a great feeling to just let it go for a bit. Have a wonderful weekend.