(originally published April 9th, 2005)

Last night I did something I very rarely do; I went to bed early. For me, early was a little after 9PM; I usually stay up until between 1 and 2 in the morning.

Why do I stay up so late? I work for myself, and even when I’m on a consulting assignment, it’s hard to change up from my normal working schedule when I’m working from home.

But yesterday, I finally crashed. I’ve been working a consulting assignment that has me up earlier than I’m used to being up. During this time, I’ve also had three out of town seminars I’ve had to go to, each one making me get up earlier than my consulting assignment, and I’ve driven to each of them. One would think that I could recover and rest over the weekends, but I’ve had obligations there also.

As Americans, the thing we overlook most is that we need some real time to ourselves to rest, recharge, and be ready to go again. Many managers, because they’re salaried, feel as though they have to give as much of their time as they can to their profession. Those of us who work for ourselves feel the same way. When you work for someone else, you get vacation time; when you work for yourself, you don’t get vacation time, but the fringe benefits aren’t all that bad.

Still, we never really learn how to relax and take time for ourselves. If you’re like me, you work and work until your body tells you that it’s time, and if you don’t listen to your body,… I don’t have to finish that statement.

I don’t even want to tell you to go away somewhere, because for most people, planning a vacation away is work, it’s work getting there, sometimes work while you’re there (trying to get all your visits and fun events in), then work getting back home. You’ve had an adventure, but you’re not rested.

So, take your time, and rest. If you can get in an hour a day of rest, just to kick back and relax, do so; if you can only get 30 minutes, take it. If you can get a week off from work, or even two days in a row, take them and just be home. Don’t plan your doctor’s appointment, or anything else. Just rest, relax, have your fun, and be fresh for when you have to get back to the grind.