Pushing Against the Tide of Doing Too Much

BY: ASHLEY JOHNSON

If you’re a busy girl, you know that giving yourself pause to slow down and do nothing for a while can be… difficult. But when you’re running your butt off all day and all week, you have to give yourself the opportunity to breathe and let go. 

I’m no stranger to this game and oftentimes feel like I need to be doing something worth putting on Instagram stories every day. But you don’t have to. While there’s a part of me that’s always go go go, there’s another part that needs to take one day every weekend to do absolutely nothing in order to rebound for the next week. Rest and time off are essential to anyone trying to conquer the world. 

But sometimes taking those nothing days can be hard. When I lived by myself during college or with my parents for a while after college, it was easy to feel like I had the freedom to take a day off and just completely unwind. Now, I’m living with my significant other, creating business plans and building new friendships, I feel there’s such a pull to go out and do things during the times I need to rest and recharge. 

So, how do you make sure you get in the time you need to feel like a human again? Make it a priority. By the time Friday rolls around, I am fried. When you’re working in an office for 45+ hours every week, all you want when you get home is to decompress… completely. I’m talking watching mindless videos on YouTube or getting wrapped up in a book—or my personal favorite, committing yourself to a dumb app on your phone that allows you to design digital homes. It doesn’t matter what you enjoy doing when it comes to unwinding, it’s just important that you do it. For me, I had to establish with my boyfriend that when I come home, I don’t want to talk or do anything major for an hour or two. And that’s OK. Because as much as you want to be there for those in your life and show up for them every time, you always have to remember the importance of taking care of you. 

Use your words, be honest with people and I bet you they’ll understand exactly where you’re coming from. While your decompression routine may be different than your best friend’s, your coworkers’, your SO’s, it’s important to let them all know you prize your mental health, stamina and quiet time. Our brains aren’t supposed to constantly be working and you should never be afraid to ask for a break. The stillness you feel while zoning out is a feeling like no other and let’s be honest… is there anything better than a lazy Sunday where you have no obligations to anyone but Netflix, your makeup-free face and your favorite cheat day snack?

Ashley Johnson, at her core, is a writer. Blogging her way through college, Ashley found her way into the creative writing sphere, later graduating from Northern Arizona University with a degree in English. She now spends her time immersed in the world of digital marketing, patiently awaiting the day that she finally conquers her fears and writes a novel of her own.