Sleep is one form of rest, but it isn’t the only one you need to keep yourself going. Let’s start normalizing deep breaths and short breaks!

We spend most of our day working, completing tasks, taking care of others, or even just taking care of ourselves. And while it is all-important, it is also important to give yourself moments to rest. To stay productive, you need to allow your mind time to process what you are doing. Focus isn’t just about the “go, go, go!” but also about the “alright, I did it…ahhh…..now…what’s next?”

There may be 24 hours in a day, but no one said you had to work every single minute of every hour. Because if that was the case, you will find that your internal battery dies in a relatively short period of time, and needs to be filled up quickly (which is usually at the expense of caffeine, food, emotions or even use of personal time later that can be spent on things you actually enjoy).

Maybe you think it needs to get done now because there is a deadline, or you have such a busy schedule that there is no time later. That’s okay, you will get it done because you have it all planned out. But just think, how do you feel when you’re rushing around, stressed from meeting that time crunch? How enjoyable are your tasks when you’re trying to get it all done by a certain time?

In all honesty, probably not as good as when you take a short break between each item or when you give yourself a breath of fresh air outside. Yes, your schedule matters, but it is more important for you to take a step back and think about the bigger picture. Stress-induced symptoms are made not just from one big mental breakdown, but also from an on-set of small tense moments. As such, the demand should not be placed on you getting these tasks done, but of you feeling good when you’re doing it.

Instead of simply doing, take a moment to just be. Take a deep breath or a short break. Why? Because you deserve a clear mind, good health, and a little relaxation too.