Let's Party Owl Print by Bella Blackbird

Let's Party Owl Print by Bella Blackbird

It has been a crazy past couple of weeks for me because aside from planning a wedding, business has picked up drastically. In fact, I had to actually turn work down! That’s a glorious place to be, but the bustling business also brings new lessons of time management, organization, and, well, partying! You’re probably thinking, “What? partying is not in the business vocabulary!” I’d like to beg to differ.

After two weeks of working nearly non-stop I was on burn out streak by the end of last week. My brain felt like a big sea of mushed peas and I was beginning to lack inspiration and drive. My stamina was gone and I was getting headaches every evening. I was even more stressed because I knew that on Thursday I was leaving for my wedding shower and bachelorette party in Chicago and I had so much to do. But my plane tickets were purchased, I had twenty friends awaiting me, and my incredible Maid of Honor had worked so hard to create a memorable weekend for us all. I had to go. I wanted to go. I would be devastated if I didn’t go. So I went.

Hello Chicago! Hello wind, rain, and friends. The first day I was there, I still stressed about work, but slowly that anxiety started to lift and I realized I was having an incredible time. I promised myself to leave work aside because my clients knew I was on vacation and there wasn’t anything I could really do from Chicago anyway. (Plus, I had about zero downtime the entire trip).

By day two I was feeling super. I was enjoying being completely present with my friends and family, slowly sipping every second of this mini-reunion that reinvigorated my soul. The social interaction with twenty of the closest women in my life was nothing short of fabulous. The night came with a rolling thunder and we rocked Chicago, wearing our wax lips (fun shower goodie) and having a blast.

Oh yes, looking fabulous. Did she realy share this with us?

By Sunday, I was relaxed and feeling refreshed (despite the slight hangover…I hardly ever drink). At the shower, we all enjoyed each other’s company while we sipped mimosas and painted our hearts out at Bottle and Bottega. The relaxed atmosphere was a wonderful way to wind down to the end of the trip.

With all that fun, it may sound like I might have come back and felt worn out. But you know what? The complete opposite happened. That fun refreshed my mind and body. I returned to my office with a fresh outlook and more clarity. I now have the ability to face my workload head-on and with a better attitude than I would have if I never took that party vacation.

Plus, social interaction with people we adore is tremendously important to our mental health. And I believe that life is too short to work all the time, even if your work is your passion.

Illustration by Petra Panfilova

Illustration by Petra Panfilova

I learned a lesson: when your work starts to overwhelm, take some time out to party! Spend time with your friends, be present in having fun, and put the work down for a while. (And you might want to think about Apple Juice rather than alcohol.)

Taking mental and physical breaks from work is a necessary remedy to avoid burn-out.

What is your favorite way to refresh your mind and body after working hard?