I’ve been exhausted and burned out to the point of tears lately, and have had several friends gently suggest that it’s time to not only start taking weekends off, but to possibly schedule off an ENTIRE WEEK.
🤯🤯🤯 I KNOW. 🤯🤯🤯
I pride myself on being self-employed, and I often feel like I have “something to prove” in that regard — that I work just as hard as (or harder than) folks who are traditionally employed. I work 7 days a week, usually for 10+ hours a day.
But HEY, GUESS WHAT? All work and no rest makes for a really sloppy, exhausted, and cranky business owner.
Rest is part of who we are as humans, just as much as eating, moving, thinking, and laughing. It’s a necessary part of everyday life — NOT a luxury to be earned.
In years past, I’ve gone on writing retreats, where I take a full week to rent a little cabin in the north woods of Minnesota and write, eat, sleep, and hike whenever I feel like it. It’s amazing.
I haven’t done a retreat for the past couple of years because I’ve been so busy, and because honestly, I never felt like I’d “earned” it. Well, and this year, there’s the whole big awful Covid thing.
But. I am taking time off, finally, and I’m going to treat that time like a retreat. I found myself freaking out about it (even though I’ve done retreats before!), so my friend Mike gave me the following advice. I’d like to share it with you in case it’s helpful to you, too:
“Get together some good selections from your TBR (to-be-read) list, any handheld gaming systems, stuff like that, and JUST GO. You can take your laptop for entertainment purposes only. No work emails, no writing/projects/planning that aren’t FUN for you in the moment.
Set your phone to “Do Not Disturb”. Calls and texts should be for postcard-like check-ins with family and friends, but NO obligations or responsibilities. And only stay in touch to the extent that it brings you joy.
Get food delivered, or do takeout, if doing so brings you more enjoyment than effort. Have snacks. Go for walks. Enjoy the time for yourself.” — Mike
Thank you, Mike. I have my week planned for November 29-December 5, and I’m looking forward to it SO MUCH.
How about you? When was the last time you went on a retreat, took a vacation, or even took a weekend for yourself? How do you spend that time — or how would you like to?
Words & warmth,
Sarah