The last several decades have born numerous studies and articles about how stress, anxiety and anger all have a negative impact on our health. Especially here in the United States, where preventive care is still fairly a new concept, it can be hard for folks to take steps to improve their wellbeing when at every turn they are being told to work harder and longer or face losing their jobs in this difficult economic age.

I hear it time and time again from friends who are juggling a family, work and their health, as well as community service, spiritual practice and higher education: “ I can’t afford to take a day off” “ I don’t have time to – exercise, fix proper meals, read that book I’ve been dying to read”.

The truth is, we can’t afford not to. Lately, I have been just as guilty – if not more so – when it comes to playing the “do as I say, not as I do” card. I encourage my peers to switch off the computer, put aside the report for the book, take a mental health day and enjoy a quiet drive… … and yet, here I sit day after day thinking about the sheer amount of things I need to do in order to take care of my family, become self sustaining, run this business, take care of my health and a myriad of other chores, large and small, that are constantly threatening to overwhelm me.

I took a look at my calendar and realized that I have not given myself permission to take a day off – a full day of doing nothing – in more than three months. Since I work from home and set my own schedule – and have so much I need to take care of – I was even working on days when I had a raging fever from the kidney infection. Sure, some days it’s only an hour of “work” and then an hour of chores… and then, and then, and then… it may not always feel like I’m doing enough (to me) when I compare myself to others, however I realize that I need to quit setting myself up with these comparisons. No I don’t do as much as X, Y and Z – however X, Y and Z are healthy and in a different set of circumstance that I am.

So where has all this pushing myself got me? Way further ahead of the game, right? Wrong, yes, I have a lot done but not necessarily more than I would have if I cut myself a little slack and what I have been is short tempered, cranky, unforgiving (of myself and others) and overall not terribly pleasant to be around a good deal of the time. Nothing was gained except additional stress and anxiety.

Over the next few weeks I will be doing a few pieces on the importance of down time, as well as making you and your favorite things a priority, just like family and work are.  In the meantime I’m going to be taking a few days off to enjoy my birthday as fully as I can. I am going to give myself permission to rest a bit more and take more time to just be in the moment and really enjoy whatever it is I’m doing instead of pushing through quickly while worried about the next thing on my list.

I’m not really one for stopping to smell the roses, not caring much for rose-scented anything, but I think I’m long overdue for a little cloud watching, daydreaming and getting caught up on a little bit of doing nothing.