Why is it so hard to take a break?
Have you ever sat down with a cup of tea, ready to finally relax, when suddenly everything you need to do flies into your mind? Instead of enjoying the moment, your tea sits forgotten as guilt creeps in—like someone might walk in, see all those unfinished tasks, and wonder why you’re sitting still. Taking a break feels harder than pulling out an alligator’s tooth—without even asking the alligator first.
This happens to me more often than I’d like to admit. I sit down, thinking I’ll take a moment to breathe, but instead, I’m overwhelmed by everything I think I should be doing. Why is it so hard to take a break?
In the comments below, tell me: What does taking a break feel like to you? Do you find it easy, or is it a constant battle? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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The Pressures of Motherhood
I have never felt this feeling more than now, as I am a mother. There’s always something to do—another dish to wash, another load of laundry to fold, another Lego tractor to build. Even when I sit down, my brain doesn’t stop thinking about all the things I could or should be doing. Rest feels impossible like I have to earn it.
But the truth is, running myself into the ground doesn’t help anyone—not me, and not my family. Rest isn’t selfish; it’s part of being the kind of mom I want to be. When I let myself take a moment to breathe, even if it’s just a cup of tea, I’m better able to show up for the people I love.
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‘My Pressured Mind’
What I’ve realized is that so much of the pressure I feel doesn’t come from the outside—it comes from me. I call it ‘My Pressured Mind.’ It’s that voice that tells me I should be doing more, even when no one is asking me to.
My pressured mind doesn’t care if I’ve already done a hundred things today—it reminds me of the ten things I haven’t done yet. It’s why I sit down with tea, but instead of relaxing, I end up staring at my to-do list. No one else is telling me I have to do it all, but my pressured mind makes me feel like I have to anyway.
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6 Strategies to Quiet My Pressured Mind
1. Use mindfulness to acknowledge the voice without judgment
The first step I’ve found is to acknowledge the voice of my pressured mind without beating myself up for it. Instead of trying to push it away, I’ll say, ‘I hear you, but I don’t have to listen to you right now.’ Naming it takes away some of its power and helps me stay present in the moment.
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2. Reframe rest as productive, not something to hate
I remind myself that rest isn’t laziness; it’s part of being productive. Even nature shows us this—there are seasons of growth and seasons of rest. Trees don’t feel guilty for letting their leaves fall in autumn, and the earth doesn’t apologize for staying still in winter. Rest is part of the cycle that allows us to bloom again in spring. If the world can take a break, so can I.
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3. Do something that brings you into the present moment
When my pressured mind feels overwhelming, grounding myself in the present moment helps quiet it. One exercise I like is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: I take a moment to notice five things I can see, four things I can hear, three things I can feel, two things I can smell, and one thing I can taste.
Gratitude also shifts my focus. When my mind is racing, I’ll think of three things I’m grateful for in that moment—even small things, like a warm cup of tea or a kind word from someone I love. Gratitude reminds me that not everything is urgent and that there’s still beauty in the chaos.
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4. Ask yourself what is urgent—and how rest can be urgent too
When my pressured mind tells me I need to do everything right now, I’ll ask myself, ‘What’s truly urgent?’ Most of the time, the answer is ‘nothing.’ I remind myself that rest is urgent. Without it, stress builds, and burnout follows.
Stress is my pressured mind’s fuel, and the only way to stop it is to give myself permission to rest, even when it feels counterintuitive. Rest isn’t selfish—it’s how we refill our cups so we can keep showing up for the people and things that matter.
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5. Be kind to yourself
When my pressured mind says, ‘You’re not doing enough,’ I’ll try to respond with kindness: ‘I’m doing the best I can, and that’s enough.’ It’s not always easy, but showing myself the same grace I’d show a friend helps quiet the pressure. Sometimes, simply watching the birds out the window feels like a beautiful act of self-kindness.
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6. Practice letting go (be warned—it’s the hardest one)
I’ll be honest—letting go is the hardest part of quieting my pressured mind, and it’s not something I recommend starting with if you’re new to this practice. Letting go takes time, and it’s something I’m still working on myself.
Letting go means reminding myself that I don’t have to finish everything today. The dishes will still be there tomorrow. The to-do list will always have one more thing on it. And that’s okay. Letting go isn’t about ignoring responsibilities—it’s about releasing the belief that I have to do it all at once. It’s a practice that becomes easier with time, but it’s okay to start small and take one step at a time.
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Conclusion
Now that we’ve talked about the concept of ‘My Pressured Mind,’ I want to remind you—it happens to all of us. Not just mothers. The pressure that creeps in when you try to take a break isn’t just you doing it to yourself. It’s something we all face in different ways.
So why don’t we take a moment to reflect on it? Think about it for yourself: What do you need to do to combat this feeling? What helps you quiet your pressured mind when all it wants to do is swirl with thoughts of what you ‘should’ be doing?
Leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram at @thehealthymindsanctuary. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Let’s keep learning and growing together, one small step at a time.
Now it’s time for you to try these suggestions. So…
Now go. Be safe. Know that you are not alone.
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