Downtime

I work hard most of the time, but occasionally I’ll have a day where I feel like I can’t get started. There are things that I want to accomplish, but I can’t get motivated. I feel as though my brain can’t focus and my body is stuck in quicksand.

By the next day, or even a few hours later, I’ll feel fine and life will get back to normal - sometimes, just having a good meal will help to get me back on track - but it’s exhausting and disheartening to feel so unmotivated.

I had a day like that this weekend. I had a long list of things to do, but I was too listless and unfocused to start even the simplest task on the list. When I tried to rest, my mind raced in a bunch of different directions.

Fortunately, I realized that the best thing to do was to give myself a much needed break. I worked really hard this year. My brain had to confront a number of challenging problems and come up with effective solutions in short order. I haven’t taken a vacation, and I’m badly overdue for some downtime. On top of that, all of us are living though an array of difficult and downright crazy circumstances. It’s as though the world is trying to see how far we can bend before we break.

So, I gave in to my exhaustion. I vegged on the couch for a few hours, relaxed, and enjoyed some coffee. When I could muster some strength, I went out for a pleasant walk. I relaxed a bit more and then worked on a project that I could do without stress or strain. It felt good to get something done.

We’re not machines, and even if we were, what machine can produce output indefinitely without taking time off for routine maintenance? As we navigate these uniquely challenging times, it’s more important than ever that we remember to take care of ourselves. We need to be assertive and schedule time off when we feel exhausted and overwhelmed; we can’t just push our way through it.

Give yourself a break. Take some time off. Rest when you feel the need rather than pushing yourself beyond your limits. The problems of the world are not going to disappear. They will be waiting for you to return once you have reclaimed your energy and renewed your focus. Be good to yourself. You’re the only one who can determine when some downtime would help. Don’t ignore the warning signs.