The Importance Of Taking Time Off

relaxingI want you to take a look at your goals, if you don’t have a list of the things you want to achieve, write them down off the top of your head, got them? Right now look through that list, how many items on there are things that are going to help recharge your batteries?

Most people spend a lot of time thinking about what they want to achieve, the great car, the beautiful house, the dream job, but what use are those things going to be to you if, when you get there, you’re too frazzled to really enjoy them. Franklin Covey, in his 7 secrets of highly effective people, talks a lot about sharpening the saw, doing things that help you to grow, not just contribute towards your goals. Time off for rest & relaxation, definitely comes under this umbrella, and setting goals for relaxation time should be a goal within itself.

There are many ways to incorporate taking time into your goal setting. You might, for example create a long term goal of taking a dream holiday, a month on a beautiful tropical island, or skiing in one of the most exclusive resorts on earth, this is a great goal to have, and one I’m sure many of us wish to accomplish someday, but it’s not going to help you sharpen your saw today.

If you want to make your time off work for you, dreaming and planning for the completion of your goals is a great way to unwind and recharge. My partner and I can while away a whole day browsing through luxury hotels in Costa Rica (our agreed dream location) or checking out crazy underwater hotels like the Poseidon.

If dreaming and planning just serve to frustrate you, you may have other goals that relaxation can help you to work towards. If you want to write a novel someday, having quiet time to yourself to read a book definitely counts as research, or taking time to complete NaNoWriMo next year, which not only serves as great motivation, but is also a fantastic way to meet new people to help motivate you all year long. Spending time immersing yourself in imaginary worlds helps you to escape from the stresses and pressures of everyday life.

Making time for yourself every day can also be a goal in itself. What about setting a goal to achieve 10 minutes of quiet time for yourself every day, perhaps for meditation or prayer. Or aim to have at least one hour a month at a spa getting a facial or manicure. Perhaps your ideal way to relax and unwind is doing sport or daily exercise, so include making time for that within your goal planning process.

Taking time to unwind is an absolute necessity if you are to achieve your goals in life, but ultimately, it doesn’t need to be about achievement or your end destination, it comes down to taking the time to appreciate what is around you now, because if you are totally consumed with getting where you’re going, you will miss all of the beautiful scenery along the way.

Sarah Goodwin is a productivity fanatic, with a passion for helping people make the most of their time to achieve their goals. She also writes for the luxury travel site Kiwi Collection, itself the fulfillment of one of her life goals