I recently had a conversation with a friend about how she’s feeling guilty for taking time off. This isn’t the first time someone has shared their worries about how they’ll be perceived for taking more than a week’s vacation. 

In our culture of seeing being busy as a badge of honour, it’s no wonder so many people struggle with hitting pause. We feel we need to rush from one task to another, filling our days with activity so we can collapse on the couch, watch Netflix, and zone out. 

But what if there was another way? A life that valued rest, allowed space for pauses and recognized that saying no to what you don’t want allows you the room to say yes to what you do want. 

Mindset shift

So, where do we start? It’s about changing your mindset from seeing busyness as a sign of productiveness to a hindrance for growth. Now, I’m not saying spend your days mediating and taking walks in nature (although that would be a nice change of pace). Rather, it’s about recognizing the power of clearing your mind and resting to help you grow. 

Years ago, I had client who ran a multi-million-dollar company. When chatting about his success, he asked me if I knew the secret to getting to the next stage of your career or life’s journey. Being a type A personality, I spewed off a list of action items – taking a course, hiring a coach, attending a conference. He laughed and said no, it’s taking time off. 

As a lover of business leader biographies, he told me he’d noticed a pattern in his reading. The most successful individuals (not always monetary success) credited taking time off to clear their heads, recharge their batteries, ground themselves and being open to new opportunities as the recipe for their success. 

Healing time

Although it’s been 20 years since I first heard this advice, it’s stuck with me. Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed or itching for a change, I hit pause. I create and embrace space to rest. Well, as much rest as a mom of two kids can get. 

I find it interesting that when people have surgery and are required to take 6-8 weeks off work, no one blinks an eye. Instead, people commented on how important it is to rest, give your body time to recover and heal. Yet when someone says they’re taking a month vacation, everyone gasps. How is that possible? What will you do with yourself? Who will do the work?

Even though there’s more awareness of the impacts of stress on mental health, many people still struggle to let go of the need to be busy. Just as our bodies require time to heal from medical conditions, our mind and spirit also needs time to heal from stress. 

Prioritize you

Here’s the thing – you are the ONLY person who will prioritize you. No one else. 

Looking at your daily life, how are you prioritizing you? Both at work and in your personal life. What are the things that bring you joy? Are there trips you want to take? Friends you want to go for coffee with? A book you want to read? What’s stopping you from finding moments for you?

When I turned 50, I took a hard look at my life and realized I had stopped prioritizing me. I’d gained weight, was out of shape and put everyone else’s needs in-front of my own. 

Instead of throwing a big party or going to Vegas, I decided to make my 50th birthday an investment in me. I hired a personal trainer who developed a workout schedule based on what I enjoy. I also hit pause on work. I took a few weeks off to clear my head, go for walks and created space to embark on the next chapter of my life. 

The result 

  • I lost weight
  • Developed a fitness routine that’s part of my daily life (and I enjoy!)
  • Reconnected with my passion (helping people find their voice and communicate for success) 
  • Restructured how and with whom I work. 

While this change didn’t happen overnight, it was through prioritizing me that I was able to change the course I was on and embark on a more rewarding journey. The investment of taking time off paid back tenfold. 

Reflect and act

I encourage you to get clear on your own beliefs and relationship with taking time off. When you take vacation, do you fill your days with activities? Or do you value rest? 

And in your daily life, do you see busyness as a badge of honour that you wear proudly, or recognize the importance of slowing down in order to speed up? 

Finally, how are you prioritizing you in your life? Remember, it’s the small shifts that can have the biggest impacts. Don’t wait to make a shift. 

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