I find that when I am extremely stressed and overwhelmed, I am often less likely to take a time out even when I desperately need one. There are a lot of reasons for my reluctance. Perhaps the biggest is that I already feel like I don’t have enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that I want to so I’m unwilling to sacrifice any of my minutes to take a time-out. That is exactly the wrong approach, however. It’s during those moments that we need a time-out more than ever.
Here are some reasons why it’s important to take a breather when you are feeling overwhelmed:
- It actually improves focus and productivity. When we have a chance to breathe, we actually get the time we need to be more focused and productive when we get back to it.
- It provides a mental reset. When our mindset becomes clouded, we fall into an even deeper despair. When we take a break, we give our brain time to reset and lessen the overwhelm that we’re feeling.
- It enables us to make better decisions. When we’re swamped, we can’t see everything clearly. With a little down time, we’re more objective and able to look at the big picture.
- It helps with our physical well-being. A small break lowers our blood pressure and stress levels and is better for our overall health.
- It boosts our problem solving and creativity. When we have a chance to relax and reset, we’ve better able to tackle issues and come up with new ideas. That will help us in all areas of our lives.
- It gives us better balance. We can’t have only one thing that we’re working on in our lives. When we’re overwhelmed, we may be focusing too much on one or two areas. When we take some time out for ourselves, we are ensuring that we are a much more balanced individual which will lead to increased happiness and success.
As you can see, taking time-outs every now and again is critical for both your productivity and overall well-being. Are you struggling with looking for ways to incorporate these time-outs into your life? Some ideas for doing so include taking stepping outside quickly or engaging in a deep breathing or meditation activity at your desk. Getting up to stretch and move around can also do the trick. You might also consider disconnecting from screens for 10-15 minutes or listening to calming music that lowers your stress level. Additionally, you can drink a glass of water or just take some time to do nothing at all. Sitting quietly can be the perfect antidote for stress at times.
No matter what you do, it’s important to give yourself these little time outs throughout the day to keep your stress and overwhelm at bay!