{"id":932,"date":"2014-12-08T13:49:57","date_gmt":"2014-12-08T18:49:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ellismorning.com\/blog\/?p=932"},"modified":"2014-12-08T13:51:43","modified_gmt":"2014-12-08T18:51:43","slug":"you-still-need-breaks-even-when-youre-funemployed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ellismorning.com\/blog\/2014\/12\/you-still-need-breaks-even-when-youre-funemployed\/","title":{"rendered":"You Still Need Breaks, Even When You’re Funemployed"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"sleeping_fox\"<\/a>(Image credit: Photos Public Domain<\/a>)<\/em><\/small><\/p>\n

I’m an introvert who no longer works a traditional full-time job<\/a>– so when my spouse goes out of town, I happily bunker in with my laptop and grind away. I added about 5-6K words to my manuscript in rewrites, drafted an article, drafted blog posts- waking up early each morning and falling asleep late each night. Friday, I picked my spouse up from the airport. With delays and weather, we didn’t get home until after midnight.<\/p>\n

After a full week administering training, my spouse needed Saturday to recover. Grudgingly, so did I. I woke up intending to keep up the week’s grueling pace- except I majorly slept in. Coffee didn’t clear the brain-fog. My spouse sat down to play a fun new video game, and poof<\/em> went the last of my work ethic.<\/p>\n

And you know what? It’s OK.<\/p>\n

I often assume that, because my primary work these days is something I enjoy doing, I can put nose to grindstone 7 days a week. A nice thought, but my decidedly-not-a-robot body just doesn’t allow it. After a 5-6 day push, I need a day, sometimes two, to recharge. Afterward, I have an easier time waking up in the morning and buckling down on work.<\/p>\n

But strangely, it’s hard not to feel guilty<\/strong> about these break days. My work isn’t anything one would consider strenuous, <\/em>after all. <\/em>What am I recovering from?
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The answer is creative work- which can<\/em> be very draining. Besides that, I already know my brain<\/a> needs more leeway than most. Still, it’s hard for me to designate a break day and not sneak in work somewhere on the side, thus ruining the whole point. I’ll just sort a little mail, write some holiday cards… oh geez, I never actually rested, did I? No wonder I’m still dragging!<\/p>\n

When guilt conspires to separate me from my break time, I try to mitigate it by planning out what I’ll work on each day for the coming week. That helps reassure me that things will still get done, even if I spend a few hours loafing in the present. It’s important to be realistic, though, and not assign yourself more than what you can really do in one day.<\/p>\n

You also have to admit you’re human, and allow yourself a future break at some point.<\/p>\n

Do you have a hard time sitting still on off-days? How do you cope? Let me know in the comments!<\/strong><\/p>\n


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