“Keep your head clear. It doesn’t matter how bright the path is if your head is always cloudy.” -Unknown
Some days seem to start with a proverbial rain cloud dripping above our beds.
I had one of those days on Sunday. I didn’t sleep well on Friday or Saturday because I have a medical condition that sometimes wakes me in the middle of the night, so I woke up on Sunday feeling irritable and grouchy.
My boyfriend’s voice sounded like nails down a chalkboard. To be clear, I love him dearly, and I also love the sound of birds chirping. But in that moment, I wished I had a mute button because everything annoyed me.
I argued with him over something silly, and then felt horrible. Both of us work through the weekends, and despite my honest apology, I felt unhappy with myself and resistant to doing anything.
But doing nothing was not an option, so I pushed myself. I started our laundry, opened my computer, and then pulled out my to-do list.
Right then I realized: this is not the energy I ever want to bring to my work. Since I was feeling off-balanced and moody, the only option was to stop. To do nothing. To take a break, take a breath, and give myself space to create a better state of mind.
Sometimes it feels like there’s no time for this. We have responsibilities, people depending on us, things that need to get done. It can be tempting to just plow through, even if we’re not in a great headspace—after all, we don’t want to compromise our productivity.
The irony, though, is that taking 5–10 minutes for a short walk or some grounding breaths can make a profound difference in our efficiency.
We do everything more effectively when we come to it from a place of calmness—which means making time to take care of ourselves can actually be the best thing for our work and our goals.
But more importantly, taking time to clear our heads is a kind thing to do, for ourselves and other people. We live up there all day, every day, and whether we realize it or not, our thinking affects everyone around us.
So today I invite you to join me in prioritizing composure. Take the time you need. You deserve it—and so do your work and your relationships.
Photo by Wonderlane
About Lori Deschene
Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others to do the same. You can find her books, including Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal and Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal, here and learn more about her eCourse, Recreate Your Life Story, if you’re ready to transform your life and become the person you want to be.
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Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 
This is a great post to think about on a Monday morning. I had the same day last week and then I took the time to remember why I am here on earth and just our precious every day is.
Wonderful insight. I have many off days, always have, I used to try so hard to power through them. After all, that is what we have been told to do for our whole lives, no time to rest, keep going , blah, blah, blah…..part of the reason many women (& men) in my age demographic (50 +) turned to substances to numb their minds while they forced their bodies to get moving. UGH! Today, I took the day off from work, it is the 5th anniversary of my younger brothers suicide, a day I have a very hard time with, and usually try to ignore the anguish that I still feel. So, I completley understand what you are talking about. The hard part is just doing it without judging yourself, which I have become much better at doing. I am entitled to a quiet and peaceful day of contemplation and no one but myself will ever grant it to me. As you well know the person who must always remember to put us first is us…..if we won’t do it no one else can do it for us. Thank you as always for your inspiring words and your calming presence in my daily life. You are a wise woman.
Yea this is why meditation is so important..
Fantastic article, inspiring blog! 🙂
Hi Lori,
Thank you for that.
A timely reminder that we are not machines, and there is so much more to efficiency than how much you can cram in between 9 – 5.
I love my little ‘time outs’, and similarly come back feeling fresh and re-charged.
Cheers,
Robert
I totally ‘heart’ you and your daily words of wisdom that give me pause, make me smile and keep me from spending the day hiding under the dining room table with a bottle of wine and my three dogs. Thank you! L.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Dennis. =)
You’re most welcome! (Though a little wine this evening doesn’t sound like a bad idea. 🙂 )
You’re welcome Robert. I love my time-outs as well! Sometimes I wonder if those are really the time-ins.
Thanks Claire!
You’re most welcome Christiane. I hope you had a peaceful, restful day. I can only imagine the pain of losing your brother in that way. Sending you lots of love from California!
I’m doing just that today. :)))
Thank you.:) And I did enjoy a peaceful, contemplative and regenerative day. Blessings to you and your always inspiring message.