It's Okay to Take a Break

​Sometimes the weights on our shoulders get too heavy to carry around. We add so much on our plate that we forget to care for ourselves. We are expected to run like machines, but we are not made of metal, bolts and wires. No. We have a brain that tells us when the stress is too much, and a heart that won’t beat forever. We are not machines, we are human and as humans, we need to slow down sometimes. The world will continue to spin and go one whether you are working or sleeping. Time is an illusion. We don’t lose or gain time. We simply live within its man-made constraints. What we do with that illusion still matters. Not everyone can slow down unfortunately. Some people work three or four jobs to keep up. Some may only work one but have other obligations such as their family. Even in those times, leaving a smidgen of space for self-care can be beneficial in the long run.

In my sociology class we are learning about labor movements in the 20th century. It’s crazy to believe people worked more than eight-hour work days and never got a break and were not allowed to speak to one another. These men, women, and children, worked around and with dangerous machines and chemicals, but weren’t allowed basic rights like using the bathroom. How can you expect your workforce to thrive with such horrid conditions? How can one expect to do their best job in those environments?         

As a rule, I make sure there is room in my schedule for alone time. I need that space to relax by myself. Sometimes I push homework to the next day or later in the night just so I can take a much-needed nap. It’s important to take a break from the world and take care of yourself. Our bodies need time to rejuvenate and get ready for the next battle. Hanging out with friends, taking a walk by yourself, reading a magazine, or going to a play are all ways to do that. Taking care of your mind and body is not a selfish deed. It is necessary and healthy. Allow your human body to breathe. How can you expect to be your best if you can’t even stay awake?


​*Photos from freephotos.cc