Have you ever had the feeling where you just need to keep going? There are more daylight hours or you have the night ahead of you and you feel guilty if you just sit around, right?

What if sitting around or doing something you love is just what your body needs? Did you know if you don’t give your body what it needs it will give out for you? Eventually your body can’t run on empty any longer and it will force you to rest by creating an ailment.

Don’t let that happen to you. Instead, learn when to call it quits.

We all have it – you deal with guilt for ‘not doing enough.’ But who’s the judge of what’s enough? Oftentimes we put the guilt on ourselves – no one judges us but ourselves. Sometimes it’s not even guilt, but fear – the fear of someone feeling like you’re lacking.

Instead of letting the fear or guilt get to you, learn to be aware of it and know how to deal with it.

Make yourself aware

Always check in with yourself. Ask yourself how you are feeling. Do you feel like you’re doing too much just to look good? Are you afraid of what others think and that they’re judging you?

Sit with the feelings for a while and ask yourself the hard questions so you know how you feel and where the feelings are coming from (we often do it to ourselves). 

Take deep breaths

When you feel overwhelmed or like you shouldn’t stop doing, stop and breathe. Give yourself five minutes to breathe deep (belly breaths), and just sit with yourself. Don’t think, don’t stress, just focus on breathing.

When you’re done, ask yourself what your body needs right now. Chances are if you’re feeling overwhelmed, the last thing it needs is for you to keep going. Instead, make a list for the next day and call it quits for the day.

Make time for you

A big part of your day should include time for you. Self-care is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and others. You can’t pour from an empty cup and that’s what you create when you never call it quits.

You are allowed to do more than work, check emails, and answer to others. You have the right (and must) take care of yourself first and foremost or when those pressing items come up, you won’t be able to complete them.

Calling it Quits is the Only Way to Take Care of Yourself

Responsibilities will always be there – that’s life. But stressing yourself out and pushing yourself beyond what your body can handle isn’t right.

To operate at your best and give to others as much as possible, it all starts with taking care of you. Know when it’s time to call it quits and turn the focus on yourself instead of others. Your body and even other people in your life will thank you.