Life can get hectic, especially when you’re juggling between your work and personal life. You may feel as though you just don’t have the time to get everything done and when things start piling up, you may start experiencing things such as stress, anxiety and depression.
It isn’t just about your life becoming too busy, you may also be going through negative experiences such as bereavement, divorces, conflict or illnesses. Trying to do every day tasks whilst going through these might make matters worse, and you need to take time for yourself and ensure you’re allowing time to care for yourself.
Here are some signs for when it’s time to take a break
You feel as though there aren’t enough hours in the day
If you find yourself saying “there aren’t enough hours in the day!”, your daily tasks may be becoming too much. If it’s getting to the end of the day and you feel yourself panicking because you still haven’t got everything done, it may be too much for you to do alone.
Whether these are work or personal tasks, speak to the people in your life and ask for help. If it’s work related, talk to your manager and let them know it’s too much and ask if some tasks can be handed over. If it’s personal, ask your friends, family or significant other if they can give you a hand with things. This way, you will have more spare time to do the things you love.
You don’t want to get up in the morning
You’re not lazy, you just feel like you don’t want to face the day. You’re not alone in feeling this way, and it can be a sign that you’re suffering from illnesses such as anxiety or depression. It can also be a sign that your body and mind need to take a break from your usual life.
You find yourself irritated by little things
Your emotions will be intensified when you’re feeling low, and you may find yourself getting annoyed at things you wouldn’t normally be annoyed at.
You’re isolating yourself
Are you finding that you’re isolating yourself and not spending enough time with friends and family? If you feel like you don’t have time for them, or you don’t have the energy to get in touch, it’s a clear sign that you need a break.
If the problem is because of work, spending time with friends and family may make you feel better, so it’s important to make time to spend time with them, even if it’s through a phone or video call or something simple such as going for a coffee or inviting them around your house for tea.
If you feel like you need some alone time, that’s ok too. Just make sure you’re asking for help when you need it and you’re not spending too much time alone that it’s impacting you negatively.
Your sleeping pattern is affected
You might be sleeping too much to avoid your problems or sleeping too little because they’re keeping you up at night. Getting enough quality sleep is key to a healthy lifestyle. Sleep boosts your immune system, manages weight loss, and helps you retain memory. Too much sleep can result in waking up still tired so it’s important to find a balance.
Taking a break
Taking a break doesn’t mean you have to go on holiday
You don’t need to book a holiday to take a break, especially if you don’t have the money available right now. Taking a break can mean sitting in your pajamas all day, having no plans for a few days, or spending time with your friends and family. It can mean not looking at your emails out of hours.
Change your routine
When you’re doing the same things day in and day out it can become exhausting and feel repetitive. Changing things up a bit may improve your mood. Find a different route to work, stop for a coffee, skip your grocery shopping for a day. Do something different.
Allow time to pause at work
You are entitled to breaks at work, make sure you take them. Working constantly will cause more stress, and taking a break from your screen or usual tasks will improve your mood in the workplace.
Switch off
In this day and age, we’re obsessed with checking our phone. We’re constantly checking social media. We can’t help but look at those emails. Take a break from your usual life and enjoy the world. Switch off from reality and go for a walk, take in the surroundings around you. Go a whole day, or even a week without checking social media.
Book a holiday
If you’re in a position to be able to book a holiday, whether it’s staying somewhere locally or going abroad, it will give you something to look forward to.
Even if it’s just a weekend festival or a concert, these are all things that will keep you going.
Make time for yourself
If you’re going through a hard time right now, make sure you allow time for yourself. As mentioned before, just make sure you’re asking for help when you need it and you’re not spending too much time alone that it’s impacting you negatively.
How to ask for help
We have some useful resources available if you think you need professional help.
If you want to talk to your friends and family and need their love and support, they will be there for you. Think of all the times they have said ‘if you need anything let me know’ or checked up on you. They mean this sincerely, and it’s important to open up when you feel like you’re alone. Whether you want help with tasks, work, or even just to have a chat about what’s going on right now, let them know.
