Surprisingly, most of us aim to avoid taking a day off in today’s society. It is a common perception that a day off equals less work done. But in fact, slowing down every now and then is important and can actually work to improve your productivity when you’re ready to get back to work.
In this guide, we’ll explore the top three signs that you may be ready to take a day off and why you should never feel guilty about doing so.
You’re stressed
This is perhaps the most obvious indicator that you might need some time to yourself. Stress can wreak havoc on your everyday life and work productivity. However, it’s become the new normal to feel this way, with a belief that the more stressed you are, the harder you must be working – and the more you are therefore achieving. The truth is, stress levels don’t necessarily correlate with productivity and are more likely to have an opposite, detrimental effect.
If your mind is overwhelmed with stressful thoughts you may start to find yourself tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep. Alternatively, you may be oversleeping, a sign that your mind is trying to avoid thinking altogether – or you’re just very, very tired. Whatever the cause, sleep issues are a sign that your waking tasks are spilling over into what is supposed to be your downtime and are a surefire sign that you have taken on too much. Other signs that your stress levels are becoming unmanageable include feeling more irritable than usual or noticing more physical aches and pains throughout your body.
Each of these feelings deserves an appropriate outlet in the form of a hard-earned day off that you can fully devote to your mental wellbeing.
Your work is suffering
We usually only start to consider taking a break when we reach the point where we can see the tangible effects of our stress. If you’ve missed a deadline recently, or forgotten an appointment, whether in or out of work, it may be time to consider taking a break. Perhaps you’re showing up for yourself, but the quality of your work has declined and you’re feeling disappointed in your progress as a result.
While you might be tempted to power through, a rest period is more likely to be successful at getting you back on track. You may get nothing done for a day or two, but you will be able to return to work feeling well-rested, re-energised and ready to resume your responsibilities – and likely to a much higher standard than you were previously.
People tell you to take a day off
Sometimes other people pick up on the signs that we miss, and usually by this point, the issues are glaringly obvious. If you generally feel that you’re on top of your workload, you may feel reluctant to slow down or fail to notice that something is wrong altogether. But if someone else has asked you to stop, chances are you need to.
Take this as a welcome opportunity to take your day off without feeling that others are depending on you. If it’s your colleague’s idea, you can be certain that they’ve got all the important tasks under control and have the resources to provide you with cover for a day or two. For an extra little boost to your rest day, reach out to family or friends for support with your home responsibilities.
We all know the saying “When you look after yourself, everyone benefits”. Rest easy in the comfort of that truth, knowing that every person close to you wants you to show up as the best version of yourself – for both yourself, and them – whether at work, as a parent, or as a friend.
