In preparing for the board exams this month, I woke up one day with zero motivation to study. I was burned out, bored, frustrated with my to-do list, and really ready to do something else. So, I didn’t study.

Instead, I laid around, went for a walk, visited my grandma, washed the dishes, read my bible, did some writing…other stuff. No work.

I hadn’t really decided not to study that day (in fact, it had been my intention to follow with my studying schedule.) But the thought of repeating the pattern of the previous few days (hours of reviewing, procrastinating, and arguably inefficient work) was really deterring. So, I procrastinated so much that I never started, and by about 2:30 pm I made the decision to take the day off.

The next day? I woke up rested, refreshed, reset, and able to power through not only the material on that day’s schedule, but also able to catch up from the previous day. I was done by noon — and I’d washed the dishes, meal prepped, and made my bed. It felt great, and reminded me of the need for rest. I’d been trudging through my studying for weeks, with only one day off for Christmas. This was all after two weeks of final exams, two weeks of studying for said final exams, two weeks of mid-terms…etc. It was like my semester had never ended, and only gotten more intense.

The Dove inspirations foil pictured above was what inspired this post (I do my best thinking with chocolate in hand) — we each have the ability to reach our goals, but we need to always consider our striving in the context of our values. Trying to do everything all at once can break us down, whereas a balanced approach in life sets us up for success.

What’s been wearing you down? Will taking a break help improve your productivity, your health, and your happiness?