This holiday weekend, make time for yourself a priority.

TGIF and happy 4th of July weekend! Make sure you enjoy the holiday and take time for yourself the next couple of days. You work hard, and you certainly need and deserve to carve out time for your personal life. Work isn’t going anywhere.

We often get caught up in the fast-paced business mentality of having to answer every phone call, reply to every email, and solve every problem with such urgency that we forget to take a step back every once-in-awhile and enjoy our lives and loved ones. 

Taking time off of work is not only good for avoiding burnout and creative blocks, but also good for your physical and mental health. Since the pandemic started, your mind and body have constantly been in defense mode, working through new stressors and obstacles every day. It’s important that you allow time for your brain to regroup. We do our best work when we slow things down. It allows us to come back refreshed, and ready to take on new challenges. With the holiday weekend coming up, it’s the perfect time for you to step away and decompress. 

Ways you can continue to strengthen your mental health:

• Devote time every day, even if it’s just five minutes, to personal quiet thinking time or clarity breaks. These clarity breaks will help you remain calm, laser-focused and ready for anything.
• Add some movement into your day; go for a walk, take a fitness class, or visit the gym. Exercising releases endorphins, chemicals in your brain that make you feel good and give you energy.
• Do one thing for yourself; whether it’s improving a hobby or reading, make time to do something you love.

I really liked this article from Forbes.com, which talks about the 13 Habits of Mentally Tough People. Habits take time and intention to develop. My hope for you is that you make time this weekend and in the days ahead to try some of these items and see what works best for you.