When is the last time you took a day off?
For me, the last time I took a day off entirely was . . . Saturday. I actually spent the day reading, and it was lovely.
It reminded me, though, that it’s been a while since I took a full day off, let alone a block of time. And it reminded me of a conversation I had with one of my clients, who has been working a minimum (!) of six days a week for months on end. On her seventh day of the week, she is largely doing things to support a family member, which means that she has no time off to just BE.
Part of our conversation was about ways that she could find a day for herself at least once a month, to start. And some ideas about restructuring her week so that she could eventually give herself a day at least every other week, if not weekly.
If it’s been a while since you had a day off—one where you could rest if you wanted, or take a walk if you wanted, or read a book if you wanted—then you, my friend, are probably overdue. Your day off doesn’t have to mean a day free of other people, unless you want it to be. It doesn’t have to mean you don’t do something you’ve been wanting to do like baking a fancy cake just because you want to, or decluttering a closet if it brings you joy.
But it should mean setting your own agenda for some or all of the day and then doing that.
Back in the days when I was working as an attorney, I occasionally took a day off just to spend it by myself. I’d take the kids to school, then go home, where I would do things like clean and tidy the house, or read a book, or watch something on TV, or even take myself to an early matinee.
There is value to time where you can do just what it is that you want to do, up to and including nothing at all.
What would you do with a day to yourself? And can you commit to taking a day to do it?
What with Mercury now retrograde and me waffling in a bit of indecision about what I want to do for a bit (what new offers to create, what things to write, etc.), I’m thinking of taking next week entirely off. And as of this morning, I had no appointments for next week, so I’m firmly boxing it off and making it a plan.
I encourage you to take a day off for yourself, if you at all can. Or a week.
I’ll see you back here on these blog streets on September 13th.
