Recognizing When to Take a Break

Photo by Irina Iriser: https://www.pexels.com/photo/green-and-white-wreaths-1734425/

It is OK to take a break. Please read that again. It is OK to take a break. There are times when I make a conscious and mindful decision to not do anything. In fact, sometimes I must be conscious and schedule time to do nothing. The holiday season is in full swing and while it is a joyful time it can also be an incredibly stressful time. We have many expectations placed on us by others, but often we place unrealistic expectations upon ourselves at this time of year.

We expect to have the perfect holiday, to be the perfect associate, spouse, parent, coach, leader, and the list goes on and on. This sense of inflated "perfectness" wears at you mentally as well as physically. We do not have to be perfect to be filled with joy and have value. Please take a moment to repeat that to yourself.

I do not have to be perfect to be filled with joy and have value.

Repeat this as often as you need to really internalize this. It was my decision in the last month to remove items from my to-do list which were driven by my need to have a sense of perfection. I decided I could use a break and I am sure you could too. I chose not to make the dinner rolls from scratch which we have every year at Thanksgiving when I realized I was low on time and didn't fret about "breaking tradition" as I would have in the past. I elected not to drag the tree and ornaments out of the basement because I recognized that our plates were (literally) full as were our hearts on Thanksgiving Day and that we as a family could decorate the tree this coming weekend instead of pushing something else onto our to do list.

I give you these examples so that you can take a moment to look at your list and determine which items you could remove or delay. Take a moment today to use the tools and resources you have learned here at Working Mindfully for the last several months to practice some breathing techniques and sit mindfully with the things that come up. Be honest with yourself about the items that are causing you stress or anxiety and make mindful, conscious decisions on what can be eliminated. Ask yourself honestly if the task is necessary or if it is expected.

Thank you for allowing me to share my own experiences with this topic and I hope it helps you today as well. Don't forget to visit our YouTube Channel for mediation videos.

-A