Should You Allow Yourself to Take Time Off?

Yes, you absolutely should take time off — and here’s why.

Photo by S Migaj on Unsplash

I am terrible at taking time off.

There is a certain sense of guilt that comes with what are my obligations. Even those that are self-imposed.

When I don’t meet those expectations, I feel bad. That can turn negative on a dime, and before you know it the brain weasels start chittering. You’re bad, you are worthless, what do you think you are doing? etc.

For this reason, taking time off is problematic. Especially because all that I do is nonstandard. It feels like I am being judged by the world if I take time off. Dude, you don’t work 9–5, you don’t have a W-2 producing job, and you need to hustle all the time.

If anyone judges me thusly, I am not aware of it. But there is someone else that passes such judgments all too close to me.

That would be me.

But even people who work standard jobs face the same question. Should you allow yourself to take time off?

Spoiler alert — the answer is yes.

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