Our brains need a break from solving problems, dealing with daily stressors, and having to constantly be "on". If we don't take a break, our emotions can become ragged and we eventually feel drained and burnt out. This may lead to irritability or short tempers that you regretfully take out on your spouse and children.
Does this sound like you?
What if "do nothing" breaks happened on a weekly basis? How would that change your well-being? If you give yourself Sunday as the day of rest, you might actually wake up Monday morning refreshed and ready to tackle the week. Breaks can help you to handle stress better and then you might not be so short fused with your family or even a customer.
Breaks are necessary if you want to prevent burnout but it must become a new habit, just like working out. Yep! You have to schedule down time or else you'll keep going in the rat race burning on fumes until there's no fuel left.
I was recently talking to a friend who has a special needs child and a toddler. They had family in town and she was in desperate need of a "do nothing" day. She said, "if I don't have this, I will completely lose it!"
This is someone who's at breaking point. So many people are.
Try these following tips in your daily and weekly routine. Commit to it for 2 weeks and see how it changes your attitude toward work and life.
1. Give yourself two 5-minute brain breaks at work where you shut off the lights and close your eyes.
2. Let your team know that you are away from your desk at these designated times.
3. During those 5 minutes, you can also try zoning out by staring out the window. Notice the trees, the season, the weather, or even the birds.
4. Go for a quick walk outside.
5. Look at your personal calendar. Schedule a minimum of 2 hours up to one full day of nothing on your non-working days. Try giving yourself one full "do nothing day" every 2 weeks or monthly.
If these tasks are "impossible", I challenge you to MAKE TIME. This is one of the reasons you are burning out.
If Jesus could rest on the 7th day, you can find time to rest, too.
DrLexi