Jean Jacket // Sweatshirt // Leggings
Well, after stepping away from the blog for a few months, I’m back!! Between finding a balance with my new job, my home life getting crazy busy with traveling and the holidays in general, adding the blog on top of that was just overwhelming. On my Instagram, I kept posting photos saying “I’m back from my break!” and then falling off the grid again. (Sorry for those teases, by the way 😬)
The truth is, I wasn’t “feeling” the blog anymore. I was getting burnt out, and I kept putting it on the backburner. But it was because I was going about it all wrong. I didn’t have a “plan” for what I was going to post, I just posted as I felt like it, despite everything telling me to NOT do that. I somehow thought I was the exception to the rule. Fun fact: no one is. 🙃So, I’m coming back and I’m doing this blog thing right: with a plan AND a purpose.
That being said, taking a break was SUPER nice, especially over the holidays. Here are the two main benefits that I found in my “time off”:
You Get to Clear Your Head
I was at a place with the blog where I didn’t know where I wanted to go with it. I wasn’t giving myself enough time to just sit and think about what purpose I wanted to put behind Ever So Emily, more than just cute clothes and pretty makeup. I was finally able to clear my head of what I thought I wanted, not worry about it for a while, and then rethink everything. Now I feel great about moving forward with it and I’m so excited to share all of my new ideas with you all!
You Get to Focus On Other Important Things
ESE is important to me, and I love it, but it’s not at the top of the list. The top of my list includes my husband, the rest of my family, my friends, my furbabies, and my full time career. Let’s be honest, my blog is a hobby. A hobby that I love, but I refuse to let it take over my life. I have to keep that blog/life balance just as you need a work/life balance. I felt so much more unplugged and relieved that I wasn’t constantly worrying about getting the perfect photo or posting at the right time. I was completely present in the moment with my friends and family during the holidays and it was SO NICE. Now I have an idea of the balance I want to have while I pick back up with Ever So Emily, because I’ve really missed it and I will do it right this time!
Okay, so when do you know when you need a break? Also, what if you can’t afford to take a break for 3 months because the thing you want to take a break from is your full time job that makes all of your money?
Your break doesn’t have to be 3 months. It can be a week’s vacation or a long weekend. Sometimes that’s all you need. Full time mom? Get a babysitter and have a date night or a girl’s night! Take a mini vacation away for the weekend! You’ll come home feeling re-energized and ready to snuggle your littles again.
If you’re experiencing any of these “symptoms,” it might be time!
You Are Tired. All. The. Time.
While fatigue can be a physical symptom of health issues or just not treating your body well, it can also be a symptom of being burnt out. All of your energy has gone to one thing and your body is trying to tell you that it wants to rest. It needs a break – listen to it!
You Keep Putting Off Your Work
Maybe you’re a procrastinator, maybe you’re putting it off because you’re burnt out. If you find yourself making excuses for not doing something you used to love doing, or something that really needs to be done, it might be time for a break. If not, this will happen…
You Dread Doing That Thing You Once Loved
They say find a job doing what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. I can say that’s not 100% true, because as a Graphic and Web Designer I absolutely love what I do, but some days it’s a total drag. Also, some people tend to try to make their hobby their job, and then they lose their love for that thing. That’s because it’s possibly not meant to be your job.
Say you find out one day that you’re amazing at knitting, and then you start selling your sweaters, hats, and scarves and suddenly you’re backed up and tired and you don’t have time to finish everything you’ve sold and ALSO live your life and suddenly you think that you’ll cry if you see another knitting needle again. Poof! Love for knitting gone. There is such a thing as too much of something, and sometimes a short vacation is all you need to clear your head and find your love for that thing again. Take that time to figure out if you want to keep turning your hobby into a profit, and if you do, find your balance.
Is it time for your break? Take that time to meditate, take a trip somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, get a massage, take that fitness class you’ve been thinking about, take a bath, or do absolutely nothing. Don’t think about the thing you’re taking a break from the entire time, but at some point figure out what you might be able to do differently when you start back up again so this doesn’t happen again, at least too soon.
What’s your favorite way to take a break from things? Let me know in the comments!