It’s a typical, beautiful, LA morning. And it begins: Wake up. Caffeinate. Walk the dog. Feed the Dog. Get ready. Drive to work. Answer phone calls. Answer Emails. Answer colleagues. Work 8 hours. Drive home. Walk the dog. Feed the dog. Try to hit the gym. Come back. Eat. Prepare for the next day. Go to sleep. Repeat. Finally, the weekend comes and it’s time for gatherings and events with your friends or family, scheduled appointments, or errands that you couldn’t complete during the week. Is there ever any downtime just for yourself? For the past few months, I have found myself approaching burnout with little time for myself to decompress…alone. Therefore, I decided to keep one weekend per month completely open for myself and have found it quite helpful. During this time, I’ve committed to not going out, not attending family get-togethers, and definitely not working or checking emails. I make sure to do something that doesn’t require too much energy, spent quality time with myself, and do my best to stay unplugged (i.e., no social media). It can be very nice to give yourself a break.
Taking time for yourself is crucial for mental wellness. It prevents burnout, irritability, getting easily overwhelmed, and feeling anxiety about responsibilities. Time to yourself sets you up to get through another week, energized and productive. Some cultures and religious faiths even make it a duty to stop and take it easy once a week. Therefore, consider making more space for feeling good! You could take up a fun activity, try something new, go for a drive and play your favorite music, or treat yourself at a new restaurant. When I feel burnout approaching, I’ve found it helpful to do something that requires little brainpower in order to allow my mind to rest. Personally, I focus more on my body and things that bring me comfort. Sometimes, it simply means sitting back, relaxing on the couch, and binge-watching a popular Netflix series, guilt-free! Whether you’re the type of person that likes your alone time “alone” or with friends, there is no “right way” to as long as it helps you rejuvenate. So, this year, make sure you don’t forget about yourself. You only get one life to enjoy!
