Why It’s Important to Take Time Outs

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

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.