5 Signs You Need to Take a Break & 4 Healthy Tips to Do it

Sometimes, we all need to take a break.

But there are times when life brings us to a point where all we can think about is how to make ends meet. That’s when realizing the importance of taking a break becomes prominent. But the majority of us ignore the urge and continue with our lives.

Of course, that’s really unhealthy, both mentally and physically.

We all deserve a break. From life. From work. From relationships. It’s a healthy practice and many of us learn this the hard way.

In this post, we're going to go over the importance of taking a break - and how you can identify the signs that you absolutely need one.

5 Key Signs You Need to Take a Break

The most common mistake that hinders our ability to recognize the importance of taking a break is ignoring the signs.

If you think carefully, you might find you've been behaving differently on the macro level. It’s especially true when you have a full-time job, a family to maintain and elderly parents or in-laws to take care of, for example.

Here are the telltale signs that you need a break.

1. You forget things.

We all forget things. It happens to the best of us. Forgetting little things every now and then is completely normal. It becomes not-so-normal is when you start to forget things all the time.

For example, you forgetting to pick up your kid from school is a huge sign. You might forget about deadlines at work. Or you missed a meeting.

It happens because when we are exhausted, the brain has a hard time keeping track of everything. It even hampers our sleep cycles, and lack of sleep can lead to brain fog, among other issues.

If you find yourself forgetting important things, maybe it’s time to take a break.

2. You become irritated easily.

This is another big sign that you should take things easy.

When we live on the edge, everything becomes a point of conflict. When the smaller things get the best of you, you should take things a little slower. It’s not your fault, it’s just how the human brains work.

So, when you see that you are in a bad mood pretty much constantly, the importance of taking a break is knocking on your door. The irritation can cause conflict between your family members and loved ones, even colleagues at work.

3. You feel disconnected.

It’s one of the sad results of excessive stress. The importance of taking a break becomes undeniable when you start to feel disconnected. You might feel like someone else. You may not be able to make the connection with your loved ones like before.

When we’re constantly stressed about our work and life, the chemical balance in our body gets all messed up. And the disconnection you feel is the direct result of that. So, if you’ve been lately feeling that you are getting distracted from your loved ones, take a break immediately.

4. You become reluctant to work.

Waking up in the morning and not feeling like going to work can only mean two things.

Either you hate your job or you are tired. You would know whether you like your work or not. If you’ve been loving your job since day one, but suddenly don’t feel like it any more, maybe it’s time to take a break.

Reluctance is a surefire way to tell when to abstain from something. When your day-to-day life is hindered due to fatigue, only rest can bring you back. No matter how hard you try to focus, it’s not going to happen in your current mental state.

5. Your sex life goes downhill.

If you don’t want to talk about it in the open, it’s completely fine.

But if you’ve been not feeling like having sex as you used to, it’s a major sign that your libido is taking a hit. Stress, anxiety, and fatigue are scientifically proven to kill our sexual desires.

If you think the symptoms are right, take a break and relax. There’s no point in life when you cannot enjoy it. And sex plays a big role in keeping us happy.

The Importance of Taking a Break Correctly

After what you’ve read, you might be planning a trip right now! You might go there with your loved ones. But if you’re thinking about getting some work done while you’re at it, you are taking the wrong approach. When you take a break, do it properly. How? Let’s find out.

1. Leave the work.

It doesn’t matter if you’re going on a solo trip, with your family, or just staying at home.

You shouldn’t work while you’re taking a break. If you still have to work and worry about deadlines and meetings, what’s the point of taking the break?

So, leave work. If you have to do double shifts before your break, do it. It will all be worth it when you’re relaxing on a sunchair with your loved ones. Do what you need to before you jump in.

2. Communicate properly.

If you’re taking a break from work, let your supervisors know about it.

If you’re a businessman, let your employees know that you’ll be unavailable. If you’re taking a break from regular life and the people around you, explain your situation in an empathetic manner.

If you’re surrounded by people who truly care for you, it’s going to be the easiest step. They’ll understand that you are tired and all you’re trying to do is get yourself back to track.

3. Plan ahead.

When you realize the importance of taking a break, you may feel the sudden urge to leave everything and go on a vacation.

But you should always plan ahead about what you’re going to do on the trip.

Of course, relaxing is what you’re about to do. But you still need food, a comfortable stay, and most importantly, a quiet place to wind down. So, make sure that you have everything arranged before you leave.

If you’re planning your relaxing stay at home, make sure that you have stocked up on your daily necessities. If you want to Netflix and chill, stock up on your favorite snacks. It’s your time to enjoy and nothing should stop you from doing it.

4. Take a break from social media.

When you realize the importance of taking a break, you should also realize that you need a break from social media as well!

If you didn’t yet, you should now. Engaging in social media activities is a surefire way to ruin your relaxation.

Take your phone with you wherever you go for emergencies, but don’t get hung up on it. Leave the phone and enjoy your surroundings. If you’re on a trip, enjoy the scenic view the location offers. Go ahead and take a walk in the wilderness. Breathe some fresh air.

The Benefits of Taking a Break

If the signs were right and you took these suggestions, you should definitely feel like a new person when you return.

You’ll feel refreshed and filled with motivation to get into regular life again. You’ll be better at handling situations because you won’t be on edge all the time.

Your loved ones will appreciate you even more because you’ll be connecting with them better. A lot of relationship issues get resolved just after a break.

The importance of stopping to take a break is beyond question. Keeping notes of all these feelings can motivate you and work as a reminder that you should always take a break when things start to go south. 

Are You Going to Take a Break?

If you liked what you read, you should definitely feel the importance of taking a break. If you’ve been thinking about doing it for the longest time but didn’t get the opportunity, just do it now. Everything in the world can wait for a few days.

But continuing with fatigue is the worst thing you can do to yourself.

Editor's note: This article was originally published Mar 27, 2021 and has been updated to improve reader experience.

Photo by Tim Samuel