Taking a Self-Care Day Off When You’re Self-Employed

Because sometimes the most productive thing you can do is nothing

Last week was another one of those difficult weeks. A lot of emotions. A lot of tears.

Wednesday evening, I went to my women circle (WomanWithin) as usual. I brought something personal that needed to come out, and it did: I cried for almost 45 minutes. And even when it was other women’s turn to share, the tears kept on coming. I had to gently remind myself: “this isn’t your time right now”. But there was just so much still wanting to move through me. I went to bed that night still crying, and woke up the next morning still crying.

Thursday, I set myself up to work at 9am as usual. I had a personal call with a doctor at 9:40, then a friend called and we talked for 45 minutes. And by the time that call ended, I knew:

This is not a day for working.

I was too sad, too empty. The gap between where I was emotionally and the energy that running a business requires was just too wide. And I’ve learned, the hard way, that trying to force that gap closed doesn’t work. It costs you more energy than it saves in the long run, and it usually comes back worse later.

Of course, there are days when we have to push through. We have to show up even when we don’t feel like it, put our emotions aside and keep moving. I know. But sometimes, that’s just not the right call. And I think we need to give ourselves permission to know the difference.

This was one of those days. So I decided to take the day off.

Even though the day before, I was proud of myself for being productive so far and having another full day to work on my business. Even though there were things on my to-do list. Even though that little voice showed up “yes but I should work…” I knew it wasn’t going to be productive. Not that day.

What I needed was to do nothing. To rest. To take care of myself. To recharge.

I remembered that I used to take these kinds of days off before I went back to school two years ago, days where I allowed my energy and my emotions to match, instead of forcing myself to perform at a level I just wasn’t at. And taking that day off is not laziness, it’s actually self-compassion. Or burnout prevention. Or both. Taking care of yourself the way you’d take care of a good friend, with patience, with gentleness, without judgment.

I took a nap. I sat on the patio and enjoyed the last bit of late summer sunshine. I tried not to think about work. And later in the afternoon, a friend came by. She was already in my calendar and I didn’t cancel, because I knew her sweetness and energy would be good for my spirit. And it was!

(Yes my picnic table is crooked and it’s always been like that lol 😉

By Friday, I felt so much better. Not because it was Friday 😄, but because I had taken the time to attend to my sadness, my body, my needs. And that made all the difference.

What about you?

Do you ever take self-care days, even last minute, when you feel you need them? Do you take naps, or at least lie down for 20 minutes in the middle of the day to recharge? Do you check in with your energy, your body, your emotions, or do you tend to push through no matter what?

And as an invitation, right now, in this moment:

Can you pause for just a few seconds and notice how you’re feeling?

Have you been pushing too hard lately? Did summer recharge you, or are you already running on empty heading into the fall? Are your shoulders up near your ears right now? If so, can you let them drop?

Would a day off in the next few weeks help you?

You don’t have to earn rest. You just have to take it ❤.

🌱 If you’re struggling with your mental and emotional health, you’re not alone. I’m offering counselling sessions as an RTCc, and I’d be honoured to support you on your path. Reach out anytime 🙂 Contact me

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