12 Signs You Need a Break

Imagine your daughter is standing before you, red face with all the tears. Her sniffling nose and tired eyes are speaking to you louder than her words.

“Yep. Bedtime,” you think to yourself while grabbing a kleenex from the box next to you.

You can see the signs all over her that she needs a break and some hours of sleep will make this conversation so much easier in the morning.

But what happens when YOU are in a pile of tears and there is no one to tell you to go to bed or take a break?

What happens when your signs are saying, “I need a break!”

How do you know when you need some time away?

Rather than seeing the signs in ourselves, we tend to say things like, “If I can just get through this week.” and “If I can push through a few more days.” and “There isn’t time to take a break.” and “I feel like I just had a break… I can’t possibly need another one!” and “I just need to tough it out.” and on and on our sayings go.

I’m not saying perseverance isn’t important or that there are not times to #justkeepgoing and push through.

We all know that pushing through is an important life skill.

I think the hashtag for it is #adulting.

The problem is that too often we push through for weeks on end and just try to get through one day after another without really letting ourselves take a break.

We don’t put ourselves in time out or make ourselves take a nap.

Yet, we need to sometimes. We need to get better at seeing the need for a break in ourselves and get as good at recognizing our need for rest as we do for our kids or for friends.

But how? What are the signs?

Signs You Need A Break

1} You feel the stress before you even get out of bed. That is too much stress. Too much worry. Too much to carry before you even start your day is a clue that you need a time away.

2} You went to bed the night before feeling bad for how you acted or reacted to your spouse, your kids, your friends, your coworkers and so on… that guilt? That is a huge sign that you aren’t responding well because you need a break.

3} You can’t sit still. This is a big one. If there is so much on your mind that you can’t take a break even if you have time because your brain is spinning wildly with the next thing… that is a big sign.

4} You can’t stay on top of the to do list. You are always one step behind, a little bit late and completely stressed about it all. That means the to do list needs a break too.

5} You don’t ever have uninterrupted time alone with Jesus. That alone speaks for itself. And, not in a “you should feel guilty about this” kind of way… that uninterrupted time with Jesus is what refreshes your soul. If you do not have time for it, you need time away to refocus and figure out how to make it happen.

6} You worry all day about everything. As if all that worry will even help the situation. But you do it anyway. All that worry is screaming for a break. Your thoughts need to slow. Fears need addressed.

My Journey with Stress and Anxiety by SarahMae

7} You feel like situations are bigger than they really are. Everything just seems huge and overwhelming. Too big, too hard, too much, too frustrating… yeah, you need time away from all those big things.

8} You feel like things will fail if you don’t do them. The truth is, some things MIGHT fail. Things could fall apart. But, life won’t stop. The world won’t cease to spin. The sun won’t fail to rise. And you need a break to remember those things.

9} You aren’t even finished with the current project and there are 10 more waiting on your desk. You will plan them all much better if you plan in some time to get away from it all and rest.

10} Your emotions take over before you realize what happened. Big, red flag. Nothing good happens when we make decisions, parent, interact with our spouse, go to work… all on emotions that are running amuck. The chicken with it’s head cut off phrase? Yeah… that applies here. You see it effecting your marriage, your parenting, and your friendships. Not good.

11} You just want to run away. I’ve SO been there. Sadly… many times. Wanting to run away or get away is a trauma response and a huge red flag that you need a full stop break. And, you might need to ask for help.

12} You feel bad for taking a break… and you haven’t even taken a break yet.

If any of the above things are true, you need time away.

Time to stop, to process, to think, to gain new perspective.

What simple things can you do right now?

1} Before your day begins, spend time with Jesus. This is a game changer, life transformer, real way to bring peace to your days. One verse. A prayer. Find a new worship song. Start your day with Jesus.

2} Take Vitamin D – This ONE vitamin will change your life. Especially if your D levels are low.

3} Read – I LOVE Kindle Unlimited because I can quickly grab new books. What books do I read? Click here and here.

4} Brain Dump – Seriously. This is a thing. And it helps more than you can imagine! Get a good journal and dump out all the words in your head right now. Quickly put it all on paper. It is an amazing practice. Especially before bed!

Grab this journaling bundle for $11.99! Brain dumps, devotional journal and healthy living journal all in one!

5} Organize your day-to-day life – Sometimes in our techy world, we forget the wonderful feeling writing things down. Dates, appointments, to-do lists. All the healthy things like water, exercise, stretching, supplements, healthy meals… Get organized.

6} Go on vacation – Big or small!! A book in a coffee shop. A break at a park. An afternoon nap. A staycation. Maybe even a real deal VACATION. Plan it. Make it happen. Talk to your spouse. Talk to your boss. Find someone to take care of what is absolutely necessary and let the rest GO. Research a few low key places to relax. Find out where you can just chill for an afternoon. Gather up a journal (my favorite things are at that link!), a good book, a chamomile tea, and do something relaxing.

7} Go to church – YES. Church. Find a place where you can worship, learn and grow. You’ll be amazed at how much a church community can help.

8} TAKE CARE OF YOU! I have started working with a local wellness center to figure out my supplement needs. I’ve started taking liquid collagen and trebiotics for gut health. I take naps. I rest. I engage with my helping team right when I need it without waiting or pushing through. This is helping greatly with my healing process.

9} Get a Life Coach. Let someone in to your struggle and ask for help.

See the signs. Recognize them for what they are and do something about it.

Remember how much easier it is to parent when your kids are rested, healthy and happy?

Your life will be much easier when YOU are rested, healthy and happy.

Here is another great resource “10 Days of Joy Journal” by joining my email list. You’ll receive short, quick, helpful emails that will not overwhelm your inbox!

Now, let go. Do nothing. Forget the world. Put the weight down. Breathe.

Do you need time away? Do you need rest? Maybe a nap?

What sign stood out to you as you were reading this?

Do you need a break?