3 Reasons to Take a Break from Doing What You Love
Much as I love writing weekly posts for this Conscious Writing for Creative Living blog, I have to admit that it did me the world of good to have a couple of weeks off last month.
After 18 months and 81 posts with not a single one missed, I realized it was time to take a break for some blog writing down time as a valid part of the recent holiday I felt more than ready for.
Instead of pushing myself to keep writing because I thought I “should”, I decided not to allow it to become another task on my To Do list rather than a consciously chosen creative experience.
Right Choice
When I checked in with how the decision felt, I knew with every fibre of my being that it was the right choice in the circumstances at the time.
So I shared the news with you, shut my laptop down and stepped right in to full on vacation mode with a brand new journal in my bag.
Two weeks later, having recharged and refreshed my priorities and perspective, I’ve returned to writing with renewed enthusiasm for sharing my conscious and creative journey, ideas and experience with you!
Here’s what I feel inspired to highlight for you as 3 reasons to take a break from doing what you love so you can benefit in similar ways:
1. RESTORE YOUR ALIGNMENT
The more tired you become, the higher the likelihood that your conditioned patterns of thought and behaviour will kick in – with or without you realizing it – and drive you out of alignment and in to depletion.
These are the moments when you need to push yourself to do something you’d usually enjoy if only you didn’t feel so worn-out, or when you force yourself to keep going way beyond the moment you’d ideally like to stop.
The longer you continue like this, the deeper you’re drawn into the drama of life and the greater your separation from being conscious, present, aligned – and happy.
The Simple Solution
The simple solution is to stop and take a proper break, ideally before you reach the point of overwhelm; so it’s important to recognize the signs that you’re losing your balance such as getting angry for little or no reason.
Then you need to use the practices that work best for you to restore your alignment through relaxing and energizing your physical body, clearing and soothing your mind and emotions, and reconnecting with your inner truth.
Extra sleep is usually a good place to start!
2. REFRESH YOUR PERSPECTIVE
However much you love what you do, in my experience it’s essential to take regular breaks in order to revitalize your energy and rejuvenate your relationship to the task(s) and/or people involved.
It doesn’t matter what the details of your individual situation are.
Whether you’re absorbed in a creative pursuit like writing, engaged with your projects at work and at home, or immersed in your role as a partner, parent and friend (or all of these) the same principle applies.
In ancient Chinese wisdom, anything taken to an extreme turns into its opposite which is why you might experience a love/hate relationship with certain aspects of your life.
The Way Out
The way out of the unsettling swing between the two lies in validating the all-important breaks from doing what you love for short and longer periods depending on what’s appropriate at the time.
That is how to refresh your perspective and restore your relationship to being and doing all that you’re here to be and do – consciously, creatively and joyfully!
3. RECONNECT WITH THE LOVE
It probably goes without saying that I’m writing from the perspective of having lost my balance and experienced the backlash countless times over the years, especially in relation to my work.
I’ve always enjoyed (most) of what I do as an adventure into conscious and creative living, and increasingly as an expression of my true calling in the world.
As a result, it usually doesn’t feel like “work” at all and I feel blessed to have found my vocation in life.
Long Term Basis
However, if I’m not careful it can easily take over completely which is fine for short bursts when there’s a good reason like a major project launch.
Yet it’s not OK on a long term basis, and sooner or later, if my schedule becomes overly full of endless things to do, however much “being” is integrated with the “doing”, I eventually reach the point of craving the space just to be – full stop!
So taking proper breaks enables me to reconnect fully with the love I have for my work, and from that joyful state of being, make a far greater contribution to you and others like you.
Counter-Intuitive
It may sound counter-intuitive to walk away periodically from doing what you love.
Yet everyone I’ve ever taught this principle to has had the same or similar results to the ones I’ve written about here.
I truly hope that it also make a positive difference to the quality of your experience of Conscious Living if you choose to apply it in a way that works for you.
What are your thoughts and feelings about falling in and out of love with what you do and how taking a break relates to that? Please share your comments or ask a question below. Thank you!
Taking a break from writing as my focus seems to be art right now: has been headed in this direction for awhile. The writing will return, it has before.
Hi Carol, thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, writing often comes and goes so good for you following your flow into art at the moment.
This is slightly different than consciously choosing to take a break from it – or indeed anything else – but the principle benefits still apply, especially when you bring increased awareness to the process. The likelihood is that you’ll feel refreshed and renewed in relation to your writing when it does resurface. Enjoy the break and your art!
I find that I LOVE to write. for many years I have NEEDED to write for hours each week just to stay sane. otherwise, my mind and emotions get jammed.
I currently have long lists of writing projects I want to do SOMEDAY.
I have retired and I live alone so I have LOTS of time. But I do not get as much writing done as I want.
I find that I do my best work when a powerful inspiration gets inside me. Then I MUST write many pages in a few days. That is thrilling during the adventure yet exhausting afterward.
I cannot make myself get into those spaces. They come when they want to. But I know it is best to be rested. So I make it a policy to consistently get at least 8 hours of sleep.
This discussion of work and getting away from it brings to my mind my issue with workaholism. I have known for decades that I live to work. I do not work to live. I do not have much rest or fun. But I know these are vital to a healthy lifestyle.
Over the decades I have attended various 12 step recovery meetings. My current challenge is to address my workaholism. There are no meetings for that in this small town. So I have begun to carefully examine and journal about the literature they offer for free online at workaholics-anonymous.org/literature
My eyes have been opened to notice that my father, brother, and closest friends have workaholic tendencies.
The success-obsessed society of the USA promotes such imbalances. It is no wonder that most self-development lessons online and offline point to gaining a more holistic approach to life.
Hi John, I know many people who feel they need to write in order to remain balanced and sane so it’s great that you are writing even if it’s not as much as you’d ideally like to. Making sure you have enough sleep is a good starting point for readiness to write and indeed everything else I can think of! I wish you well with releasing your attachment to work and hope that your writing also supports you with that. Thanks for sharing.
I so enjoyed reading the wisdom of your words. I have felt out of sync for sometime caught up in automode on the treadmill of doing, driven by perfectionism. I have made a conscious choice to step back, take cliff path walks and listen to my own inner voice and not that of the inner critic – all this, but it feels quite a challenge having spent so much time living on the outside instead of venturing within.
Thank you Beth. I’m sure that many readers will resonate with your effective description of “automode on the treadmill of doing driven by perfectionism”! We’ve probably all experienced that to a greater or lesser degree…
The important point is that you’ve now consciously chosen to change course. It may well take time, and potentially require some guidance and support to release the old patterns completely. However, you’ve made a good start and I encourage you to keep going with a more spacious approach that enables you to hear your true inner voice. The internal and external space you’re creating is your gateway to freedom 🙂
Hi Julia, I know this comment is very late but I came across this article at a point in my life where I am struggling with a passion- playing saxophone. It is such a big part of my life (especially playing jazz) and it involves a lot of creativity. Lately it’s been feeling sort of mundane and I always feel like I’m slacking if I don’t push through. This article makes me see that I shouldn’t think less of myself for needing some time to refuel my creativity and passion. I dont know if you’ll see this but if you do, I just wanted to say thank you!
Hi Ethan, no problem at all that your comment comes some time after the blog was published. I’m delighted to hear that it has made a contribution to you realising that taking time away from your passion is a healthy part of the creative process when chosen consciously and enjoyed fruitfully in whatever way works for you.
Sometimes this is as simple as resting and recharging; at other times, it may be important to refuel your creativity by going to some live events and experiencing / connecting with others playing the saxophone.
The only note of caution is to avoid the break being hijacked by your inner critic in some way and then finding it hard to get back into it.
I’m glad I saw your comment and receive your thanks gratefully. Enjoy your passion with full permission to go with the ebb and flow!