I remember a day when Chloe was little – my mum, who usually helped out during school holidays, was having a well-earned break herself, so I was on mum duty.
I sat there that morning wondering what to write for my newsletter. Chloe was outside playing. The sun was shining. And I decided it would be a good day to go to the beach.
So we did.
In the ‘old’ days I would have worked around Chloe all day, making sure she was happy but still trying to squeeze in all my work. But I’d realised that she’s only little once – and that sometimes you just need to seize the moment.
We packed up the car, mentioned to the neighbours that we were going, and they decided to come too. So out of a ‘work’ day came a lovely unplanned trip with friends and family to the seaside. We ate fish and chips and ice creams. Chloe played in the sea and we made sandcastles. I didn’t think about work once.
And that’s the way it should be.
Sometimes You’ve Just Got To Say “Stuff It, I’m Off!”
The work will still be there tomorrow. The world won’t stop turning. What’s the worst that could happen?
Next time you’re beating yourself up because you ‘should’ be working, take a step back and give yourself a break.
Those little breaks give you mental space. They make you realise why you’re doing all this. They often turn out to be the times when you have your best ideas.
So when the opportunity arises and your first thought is “I’m too busy” – think again. Give yourself a break. You’ve earned it.