The Telling Life: Inadvertent vacation

Oops. Apparently I needed a break. I know, one of the cardinal rules of blogging is don't apologize when you don't blog, so I'm not apologizing, but I am acknowledging. I kind of fell off the map.

This is part of the #tellinglife, and so my topic for my return to these pages. It's important to recognize when you need a break and to take one deliberately, instead of inadvertently, as I just did.

I love being self-employed. It's sometimes nerve-wracking, like when I don't have much work lined up; other times it's exhausting. It is never boring. I am always working, which is a common observation amongst the self-employed. I need to remember to watch for signs of burn-out, so I can plan my vacations and breaks rather than take them unexpectedly, as I just did with this blog.

Some of my signs of impending burnout are:

1. Dropping balls. More than usual anyway. I stop tracking my tasks with as much diligence and let myself fall behind.
2. Irritation. Boy, can I get cranky.
3. Getting sick. I'm recovering now from a pretty powerful summer cold. If I don't take a break when I need it my body will eventually force me to.

What are your signs of needing a break? How do you manage vacation time when it's hard to stop working? What constitutes vacation anyway? I'd love to know your thoughts and, in the meantime, I'm climbing back onto the blogging horse. It's nice to be back in the saddle again.

(c)2016 Laura S. Packer