The Joy of a Time Out

I took an impromptu staycation last week and it just may have saved my mental health.

I am fortunate enough to work in an office where I earn a lot of time off and I can take it when I want to for the most part. When I told a friend that I had taken off for three full days (which I linked to a weekend and made a 5 day vacation!) she looked at me and inquired as to why I would ever take “vacation” days without actually going anywhere. So, I will call them “staycation days” (aka mental health days) and let me tell you, they were LOVELY and far more relaxing than any traveling I have done.

And here is why I believe in mental health days for everyone, no matter what you do for a living.

We work hard as professionals. Whether you’re a lawyer or a server or a delivery driver, working (and having a family, spouse, etc) is a lot to juggle. It’s a lot even if you do not work and you’re raising a family. Both choices can leave us feeling depleted and in dire need of a BREAK. Most people only get two days off a week and lately, for me, those days had not been relaxing. Chalk it up to a sick baby and a lot of intense stressful work stuff, but my weekends stopped being relaxing and fun.

And so last week after a huge project I was working on came to a conclusion (and a good one at that!) I decided to take some time off and recharge my own batteries. I can’t explain how good that first late afternoon nap felt. My body and my brain needed it so much. And the best part of those three days was I got enough rest and “me time” that I was able to show up and be a much better, more present mom to my son. For the past few months, I’ve come home every single day and fallen asleep on the couch, still in my work clothes, and my husband ended up doing the nighttime routine with the baby. That’s not the mom I want to be. I want to be fully engaged with him and not thinking about work, stressing about work and checking emails after hours “just in case” someone needs something.

I noticed over the past few months, I was coping with my anxiety by burying myself in social media and scrolling through emails, which feels almost like a drug to my brain. I get sucked in and I just check out to the world around me. There is a reason they call it doom-scrolling. Sometimes I would find my thumb scrolling over to the social media app on my phone without even realizing it. It’s a habit that I’ve told myself is relaxing, but it’s actually the opposite. There is nothing relaxing about being on 3-4 apps at once and toggling between an email, a text and a Facebook post. There is nothing relaxing about that much sensory stimulation at once. I think it actually causes us all more anxiety.

So how did I spend my days off?

I didn’t do anything particularly fancy, but I did what I felt like doing and I let myself really enjoy time with my son. I picked him up early from day care and we bought a cheap little baby pool and had a blast together on day one. Seeing him squeal and giggle as he splashed around was the best part of the whole time off and I enjoyed every minute.

I also exercised again which is something that I haven’t done for a few months, and that is not like me. I know people say exercise is a stress reliever, but for me, once I am extremely stressed, I can’t do much of anything. I shut down. I can’t focus and I can’t relax. So it was nice to get back to my routine of taking care of myself. I truly believe in the power of endorphins and the power that moving your body can have on your mind and your mood. Showing up to do the work is usually the hardest part. I tried to not be too hard on myself for taking a gym hiatus. I had a baby 6 months ago and I fully admit to being way too exhausted to do much of anything the past 2-3 months since I went back to work and things got very busy very fast. Sometimes, it’s actually good to take a break and come back to exercise. Your muscles might be sore, but they will recover and your body is resilient. It is never too late and you’re never too far gone to reign it back in and take charge of your health. That is what I tell myself.

I wasn’t prioritizing mental or physical health lately and I am now ready to do just that. Doing it when you’re not in the mental place to enjoy it isn’t a fun experience in my opinion and ends up feeling like a miserable chore. Give yourself grace if you’re in a not-so-great place right now and come back to exercising when you’re ready. I spent some time planning and strategizing little ways I can take better care of myself and make better choices with my time, and this week now that I am back at work, I am ready to put them into action. No time like the present, right?

I am so glad I took those 3 delightful days to myself and took the opportunity to reset my brain and take space from my work. I didn’t go anywhere special, but I am rested and clear-headed. My husband said I seem more relaxed and I know I am sleeping better than I was. There is no substitute for good sleep. I truly believe that every few months, taking a day (or three) off is a good idea. As humans we aren’t machines and we aren’t meant to be on the go all the time. If you’re like me, you can physically feel yourself starting to crack from stress and pressure and then it’s all downhill from there. You might even reach a point where you become unproductive. That was me. I remember being so tired and anxious I couldn’t comprehend what I was reading on the page in front of me. That was a sign I needed to take a breather and disconnect.

So here’s is my advice, if you’re feeling burnt out or overdrawn. Take a time out.

Even if you don’t have much time off work, carve out some time where you can take care of yourself, physically and mentally. Whether it’s a day or just a few hours, get away from the daily grind and get right with yourself and your soul. It’s amazing what a difference taking a “time out” can mean to your overall mood and worldview.

Consider this as time you are investing in yourself and you will see a return - I promise!