It’s OK to rest and reset: Why you don’t always have to be productive during your Coronavirus quarantine

Miley Cyrus said it best, “It’s all about the climb”.

In all honesty, my inconsistencies really bother me. Some days, I feel uber-productive and successful. I wake up early, drink my coffee hot, go for a walk, practice mindfulness, do something that fuels my creativity, and cross some to-dos off the list, all before Micah wakes up. 

Those days feel glorious. I wish I could feel accomplished every day, but I know that’s not always realistic. I’ve been working on being more patient and gentle with myself because I know that’s what I deserve. 

I know I’m not perfect. So, why do I set such high standards for myself and then beat myself up for not accomplishing them? Why do I get down on myself if I didn’t have a super successful day? Why set the expectations so high, especially during this trying time of quarantine?

Maybe just being a great mom or wife that day is enough.

Maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll excel perfectly at both. 

I’m not saying we shouldn’t have goals and aspirations and a plan. We absolutely should, but we should also be okay with allowing ourselves to have an off day. 

We should allow time for white space. I’ve recently learned that white space is time that you give yourself to just…be. To do whatever will make you feel better at that moment. I suggest finding a time in your schedule each day to check in with yourself because it definitely makes a difference. Maybe you need a couple of days off work to rest and reset so you can feel grounded again and, if you’re able to, do it!

Sometimes, I fill my white space with bike riding, gardening, listening to a podcast, napping, reading, Netflix, and working on my blog. All of those things bring me joy and make me feel good. I always feel more balanced and gain a deeper sense of joy afterward. 

My point of all of this is to nudge you to grant yourself permission to be human. There is this mentality that we should “go hard” and, if we’re not constantly on the go, we are unproductive and lazy. 

My hope is that this post will encourage you to be okay with slowing down and knowing when it is okay to rest and reset, just as writing this post did for me. As long as we wake up each morning with a grateful mind and heart and put our best foot forward, we should find comfort in that. 

You are magnificent just as you are.

Whether you only accomplished one or all of your goals for the day.

What is one compassionate thing you could tell yourself right now?

Share with me in the comments. 

With lots of love,

Jacqueline

I hope you enjoy this throwback!