Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) Oct/Nov 2016 Aspire Mag Full Issue

Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) Oct/Nov 2016 Aspire Mag Full Issue | Page 54

GO, GO, GO... ON A BREAK. It’s Important! BY DR. ANGELA M. JOYNER I n today’s “go, go, go” society, we idealize the pink Energizer Bunny® that beats his drum non-stop. As the battery commercial says, “He keeps going and going and…” And so do we. We work long hours, days and weeks without a break. Some women don’t even take advantage of their entire vacation time. Then we pack our non-work hours with more activities. We fill our evenings with appointments, social gatherings, or kid’s activities. We cook, clean and try to squeeze time to manage an overwhelming to-do list. When is there time to breathe or replenish? But taking breaks—whether for a short walk or a long vacation—helps you avoid burnout, improve mental health and reduce the likelihood of stress-related illnesses that 54 www.AspireMAG.net | October / November 2016