It's January, and you may be doing some planning for the year ahead. (Or, if you're like me, the season ahead.)
Please look at your calendar for the next three months, through March 2024.
Do you have any days scheduled for time off?
If not, may I gently suggest that you block off some times right now?
Even if you can only fit in a 1/2 day off every now and then, it will help. Is there a day when you could end work an hour or two early? A random Tuesday where you don't have any appointments scheduled so far? A few days where you could go on a fun road trip or lounge in bed reading?
Go ahead and put an appointment in these places called "Time off: Do something restful."
It's important. There's no outside authority who's going to insist that you take time off. It's up to you to say when you're working and when you're not.
If you look at your calendar and think to yourself, "Oh, most Fridays are free; I'll take time off then," but don't actually block them off, something worky will fill them.
Block it off now before you forget or accidentally schedule something during your one free afternoon.
We all need longer periods of time when we're not thinking about work at all, especially when we work from home and/or run a solo practice.
Here's hoping we can each carve out one or two pre-ordained spaces for extended down time over the next few months.
Take care,
Camille
