You don’t have to obsess over things you have no control over. Stop allowing your circumstances to control your life. You can’t do anything about the things you don’t have any control over.  Things you can’t control are traffic, the weather, how others react towards you, other people, So, there is no point in stressing yourself out to the max with even thinking about them. When you get overwhelmed by things that you can’t control, you end up losing yourself in your emotions and your thoughts become scrambled and it becomes even harder to think clearly.

When your thoughts become so jumbled that you can’t think clearly about a task or think clearly about a situation, then it is time to step away from whatever you are doing. If you continue down the path of being overwhelmed by something in front of you, your work will not be as easy to complete. Nor will you be able to complete it correctly, or get it done well. Especially if you’re in a frazzled state of mind.

Remember, it is completely okay to take time away from a tough task to recollect yourself. Ways to do that include taking a walk, going on a run, working out, watching a funny movie, listening to your favorite music. When you take the time to clear your mind from all the stress it can help you refocus and drive you to want to get back to the task at hand when you start to feel better. Remember, you are only human and you can only do so much in one day. If some things don’t get done in the time frame that you’d like, it could be God telling you that it is time to slow down and just breathe.

Even if you may not think that it is okay, or that you can’t stop what you are doing, because “you just have to get it done before the deadline”, remember, you are allowed to stop and recollect, not to mention, recharge yourself. Don’t ever punish yourself for taking a break. If your body is telling you to take breaks, take one or multiple ones a day, even if it is only for 10-16 minutes. Breaks are allowed.

it is okay to stop and take time for yourself every day. In fact, God wants you and even allows you to take breaks from your life every day. He wants you to be able to breathe easily about completing tasks instead of obsessing over the things you can’t control, or the work that might be driving you crazy. He wants you to know that He is always there for you and that He wants you to come to Him to find rest and peace.

It is okay if you don’t get everything done in one sitting or even in one day. Don’t drive yourself to mental anguish over not finishing a task in a day. Most of the time, we need a few minutes to hours every single day to collect yourself anyhow. Don’t be afraid to take breaks from things every day. It doesn’t matter if the break is for three minutes to listen to a song, or 10 minutes to get a snack, or a few hours to completely get away from something. If you know you need a break, then take one and recharge yourself. Once you feel up to tackling the task again, go ahead and tackle it with a clearer mind and a calmer heart.

It is healthy to remember that no one is perfect except Jesus Himself and that you don’t ever have to put the pressure on yourself of striving for perfection. Jesus didn’t have to strive for perfection, because He was perfect already in every way. So why should you put the unneeded pressure and stress on yourself to be perfect in life, at work, in marriage, at home, with your kids or in any aspect of your life? That constant nagging feeling to be perfect will eventually weigh you down, to the point where you will feel nothing but mental exhaustion. You don’t deserve to work yourself to death.

God even took a break from creating the world. It says in Genesis one that on the seventh day, God saw what He had created and saw that it was good and He rested. That is the only account in the Bible of God resting. He may not have slept, but He did in fact rest. If God can rest, it certainly means that you are allowed to rest.  If you’re feeling as if you need rest, listen to your body and take the break before it causes you more mental and physical exhaustion.

Don’t stress over the things you can’t control. Give them to God and find the peace and get the rest you need. He will give you a way through the troubles even when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Enjoy the times He tells you to take breaks in your life instead of dismissing them and refusing them. He allows you to take breaks because He knows you need them.