Mar 25, 2020
By Katrina Goodrich
Living life can be exhausting. Between work, school, family, friends, and extracurricular activities it’s tough to carve out time for yourself that doesn’t involve further skimping on sleep or nailing down your day to the very minute. Really it isn’t any wonder that lots of people tend to be stressed and anxious. In pursuit of “the good life” we exhaust ourselves, unable to enjoy the here and now—many of us to the point that it becomes unhealthy.
Taking time for yourself isn’t a crime, but it sure feels that way. Recently, I used a personal day. It took planning and I still had to take a few calls, but the world didn’t end. I’ll let you in on a secret—taking that day for myself felt wrong, even though I needed it and had already put in 40+ hours that week. Nobody made me feel this way—in fact I was considering only taking a half day and my coworkers told me that if I showed up at all I was going to be in trouble. But I still felt guilty—like I did something wrong.
Self-care sounds selfish, but it is so vital especially to those in leadership. Allowing yourself to take time to do something that you enjoy in order to refresh and recharge your spirit is something we need to get better at, particularly in times when we’re already stressed. To me, it seems more natural to power through the tough times and busy days. That works for me up to a point. At the end of the day I’m exhausted. By the time the weekend rolls around I’m good for nothing and I would really rather not get out of bed.
It seems strange to talk about taking time for yourself during the Easter season when people are typically giving things up and practicing self-denial. But maybe it’s the perfect time. When I was in college, every so often we were encouraged to give up a normal piece of our beauty routine and spend that extra time with God—praying, reading the Bible, etc. For me, the idea of Lent is similar—we give up something meaningful to us so we can better focus on Jesus and the sacrifice He made for us. We gain some insight into what sacrifice feels like in order to better appreciate Him.
Here’s the thing: pushing yourself toward exhaustion and sacrificing your mental health doesn’t often lead you closer to Jesus and, honestly, that’s not the sort of sacrifice I think He wants. Reaching the breaking point happens all too often when we’re stressed and tired and in that state—and yes, God can use you at that breaking point. But being there week after week is miserable and we aren’t called to be miserable. I find that when I’m miserable, it’s really difficult to focus on Jesus.
Don’t feel guilty when you need to take a time out for your sanity. Take a break and do something relaxing you enjoy on a regular basis, particularly in the stressful times. Taking care of your mental state is just as important as taking care of your body—and guess what, Jesus cares about it all. He didn’t die on the cross to perpetuate misery but rather to save us from our sin and give us life.
Sometimes we are facing struggles that a quick mental day or a coloring evening aren’t going to take care of and, in those moments, it’s okay to seek the help of a mental health professional. Contrary to popular belief, we can’t always handle everything with a smile and a prayer. It’s okay to admit you need help to be healthy. So monitor yourself—if a break is what you need, take it. If you need more, seek out a licensed counselor. Take care of yourself so that you can have the energy to praise God and carry out His mission for your life.
