A day off

I am being serious. I 100% buy in to the idea that periods of rest are important for human beings, but the older I get, the less sure I am of how to engineer one for myself. I was never great at taking time fully off of whatever I was doing, but as a mom of young kids, I really can’t picture fully shutting down my responsibilities for one day. After all, I can’t just turn off my kids. Whenever I hit a mental wall like this, I try to look for things I can shift in my assumptions. In this case, I am rethinking my idea of what it means to take a day off. Maybe instead of a day off, it’s a few hours. Or maybe instead of fully “off,” it’s just deciding to put a prohibition on laundry and vacuuming for one day. Or maybe it’s one day a week with no outside commitments. I haven’t quite figured it out yet. How do you fit the idea of a “day off” into your busy life?

A day off

Published by Emily P.G. Erickson

Emily P.G. Erickson is a freelance writer specializing in mental health and parenting. She has written for popular digital publications, including Everyday Health, Health, The New York Times, Parents, Romper, WIRED, and more. Emily is a professional member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) and the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ). Previously, Emily researched PTSD for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and earned a master's in psychology. You can find the latest from Emily at www.emilypgerickson.com.

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