Time Out!

In yoga classes, it is not uncommon to hear words along these lines: “If you feel tired or overwhelmed at some point in the practice, feel free to go to the resting pose, the child’s pose. This pose is available to you all throughout the practice; there is no need to ask for the teacher’s permission. Just join the class once you feel you are ready again.”
How wonderful would it be if it were the same case in real life. But we can only dream. Most of us do not have the luxury to drop our responsibilities without any repercussions. Most of us have a fixed 8–5 job, deadlines to beat, obligations to fulfill. I am a realist. I am aware that our bills will not pay for itself should we choose to rest. But I also do not believe that we cannot take of ourselves despite hectic schedules. For me, this is a matter of finding that coveted spot where we get to do what is expected from us while taking care of ourselves.
Take a moment to pause and ask yourself, “What activities do I find nourishing?” While for most of us, the workload never ends, I believe that we can give ourselves permission to pause — not necessarily stop — from working and spend time with ourselves by doing things that can nourish and refresh us afterwards. In our current society where our worth seems to be highly associated with productivity, we sometimes find it hard to slow down and rest. I know, because I always feel that way whenever I try to slow down. I know, because most of the people I know also feel that way.
I think that, nowadays, it takes more discipline to set aside time to rest than to work. Feeling like the work won’t end? The truth is, it won’t. But you can die of exhaustion if you don’t stop. Rest. You can work more efficiently when you feel freshened up, anyway. It is alright to call it a day and give yourself some rest. Your worth is not measured by how much you have done.
