Young adulthood is the phase of our lives when we’re swamped with responsibilities. We’re all trying to reach our aspirations, so we’re working hard and hustling, or so the millennials like to call it. At this point, everyone — from our parents to our bosses — expect us to be working day and night to achieve success. So we spend late nights at the office, we bear with stress and fatigue, and we sacrifice time for ourselves and our loved ones. This is all in an effort to create better opportunities for our future.
Though it’s true that we need to work hard for our dreams, it’s important that we take breaks too. Working day and night without rest may seem productive, but it’s actually the opposite. Your 20s to 30s is when you’ll be experiencing a lot of stress which can take a toll on your mental and physical health. What good will all your hard work do if you aren’t healthy enough to enjoy the fruits of your labor?
We all need to take a breather. The road towards achieving your dreams may be a long and tough one. But there’s nothing wrong with taking a moment to hit the pause button and breathe. Here’s why.
It recharges your energy
No matter how many cups of coffee you drink, you can’t escape the feeling of tiredness and fatigue. Your mind and body will get tired at some point. Your energy will drain, and your brain will not work well. Trying to endure that will be very unproductive. Give yourself the opportunity to pause for a moment and revitalize your strength and energy. Allow your mind and body to recharge every 60 minutes of work. Read a few pages of your rugby magazine subscription, eat a healthy snack, go for a short walk. Doing these things will help make you more motivated and productive throughout the day.
It will enable you to gain perspective
When you’re so indulged in a specific task, it’s easy to lose track of the bigger picture. You spend so much time doing minor things that you might be neglecting more important matters. Stop what you are doing for a second and take a breather. This will enable you to reevaluate your tasks, set your priorities, and work more efficiently.
It will help keep your health in check
Have you ever heard of the term “work-life balance”? Coined by millennials, it simply means that you should have an equilibrium between your work and your personal life. Sure, it may seem more mature to stay career-focused. But you can’t keep working at 100% without burning yourself out, and that leads to serious health problems in the long run. Although young adulthood is a time to work towards personal and professional growth, it’s also your time to have fun and enjoy life. Don’t waste your youth stressing yourself out in your office desk. Take some time off to invest in personal experiences and memories. Besides, you want to keep your health in check to make sure you can reap the benefits of your hard work in the future, right?
As young adults, we are expected to hustle day in and day out. But that doesn’t excuse us to sabotage our health and wellness. Make sure you take some time off every once in a while. You owe it to your future self.
