You ever have days that stretch into weeks where it seems like everything needs to get done? Everything just piles up at once, and there’s no time for everything?

Yeah, me too. In fact, I had one of those weeks last week. I had plans every single day, including through the weekend and Monday (July 4th). It would’ve been eight straight days of non-stop action.

So do you want to know what I did? I listened to my body, recognized that I was worn out, and canceled some of my plans to be able to take a day for myself. By clearing up some of my schedule, I could start to refresh myself.

Sometimes life throws a lot all at once. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed and overworked. If you’re anything like me, you don’t like to disappoint people. But one thing I’ve learned is that people will understand. You are no good to anyone if you’re too exhausted to continue.

I know you might not be able to take a full day off. I know my situation is different than many others. But the message still stands. It’s not about how much time you take off, it’s about the principle. Taking time and a break for yourself is never a bad thing.

We live in a society where being overworked is a mark of pride. But it’s only exhausting you. Trust me. Most of your deadlines and stuff can wait.

This is something I really started trying to work on this year and really master. I’m fortunate that I have summers off because I’m a teacher. But you can bet that I’m still doing stuff and being active. And while I’ve got a decent amount of stuff I’m working on. I’m not trying to overdo it.

More than almost anything else, you have to be able to take care of yourself. Only running on fumes is a bad idea and it’s not sustainable. You have to make sure you’re okay. So whether it’s five minutes or a whole day, find some time to take a break.