Have you ever worked yourself to the bone for your employer? Perhaps you’ve stayed up long nights finishing assignments that have to be handed in as soon as possible, and maybe you always go the extra mile just to ensure you can pay the bills and work slowly towards that elusive promotion. Or are you on the other side of the fence? Do you frequently stay up late managing your business because your employees don’t do enough work, or do you always stress over who to fire and who to hire?
Whether you’re an employer or the employee, there’s always a time to take a break from work no matter how hard you want to work and no matter how difficult it is to cope. If you want to stay sane, then here are a couple of signs that are telling you to take a break from work.
A lack of motivation to do anything after work
Do you find yourself falling to sleep straight after you’ve come home from work? Don’t worry, everyone does it at some point in their life, but if you find yourself repeating a cycle of sleep and work then you may want to see a doctor to take a look at your mental health. It’s not a good thing to go to sleep after work and wake up the next day. You should always be spending at least a bit of time each day on your own. It could be a walk around the block, it could be to make yourself some dinner, or it could be to play some video games and unwind. Whatever your pleasures are, make sure you indulge in them now and then to give yourself a break from work. If you find that it’s piled up and you lack the motivation to do anything outside of the bare necessities, then you might need a break from work.
Feeling physically or mentally drained
If you’ve recently suffered a personal injury at work or you feel mentally drained as a result of long nights at work, then you need to take a break. A human being can only take so much punishment before their minds are broken and their spirits are weakened by the idea of working 24/7 at the will of their employer. Take it easy and give yourself some time to recover. Go on holiday, stay in the hospital and give your body time to heal itself after a stressful period of time.
Losing sight of your purpose in the company
If you find that your focus on the company is waning, then it might be because you’re simply getting bored of your role in the company. Being stuck at a dead-end job for several months without a glimpse of a promotion can be incredibly boring, and it’ll make you lose sight of why you joined the company in the first place. If you find yourself lacking a purpose, then consider taking a small break from working just so you can regain your composure. Your time away will help you think about the future and how you can get back on your feet.
Failing to finish work on time
Were you once the model employee that always finished work early? Don’t worry, everyone starts to get bored of their job and everyone will see their skills dull and their enjoyment dwindle. This is normal if you’re working at a job that you stop identifying with because it no longer matches your interests. If this has happened to you, then you may want to take a break from work not just for your sake, but also for the sake of your company. As a business, they usually can’t afford delays, so make sure you’re not dragging the company down as a result of your actions and take a break from work.
Love your work, hate your job
It’s not uncommon to see people who absolutely love the work they do yet despise the company they work for. For example, you could be a graphic designer that has a lot of freedom with the work they produce, but if you’re working for a company that you personally dislike, then you’ll feel demotivated and you will eventually learn to loathe your work and hobbies. If this sounds like the situation you’re in, then consider taking your skills elsewhere or even becoming a freelancer in order to continue doing the work you love without having a manager looking over your shoulder all the time. It’ll help you retire happily, you won’t have to deal with people you don’t want to, and you’ll still make a great amount of money if done correctly.
