You Don’t Need Permission to Rest
You don’t need permission to rest.
You don’t need permission from someone else to take a break. You don’t need to wait for your boss, your spouse or your friends to tell you that you are allowed to have some time to take care of yourself.
You don’t have to earn your right to rest. It is a human need. Remember that babies sleep a lot and nobody questions whether they deserve it.
Self-care is a buzzword lately, but what exactly does that mean? There is no self-care prescription, such as “soak in a bubble bath one hour before bed.” Maybe you hate baths or don’t even have a bathtub.
Only you know what will give you the rest and rejuvenation that you need. For some people that might be getting an extra hour or two of sleep each night for the next few months. For others, it could be taking walks every day. Different people might make a point to go to the gym, get acupuncture, spend more time with friends, or spend more time alone. If you don’t know what you need, start by asking yourself “What is the kindest thing I can do for myself today?”
If you’re overworked, burned out, sick, stressed or need a break from coworkers and family, take it. If other people are counting on your participation in certain activities, negotiate up front. Agree to deliver the presentation your manager wants by the end of the day, and then be clear that you won’t be online or checking mail for the next week while you’re out on vacation. Tell your friends you’ll meet them for dinner but need to leave the restaurant by 8PM. Participate and enjoy the people you’re with with you’re with them. Then leave the office or the dinner with friends when you’re tired.
If there are household chores to do, or extended family staying at your house for an extended period of time, agree upfront what will be done when, and by whom. Then let everyone know when you’ll be out of the house to go exercise, or that you need two hours of alone time to nap in your room.
Whatever it is that you need to shed stress and fatigue, do it. You don’t need permission to rest.
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