Mind the pressure release valve

Most pressure cookers come with a warning on the device or in the instructions that state you should not attempt to open the lid until the pressure release valve indicates that enough pressure has been released.

Failure to follow this guidance could lead to an explosive release of pressure that can cause harm.

Similarly, trying to navigate life or to take on more responsibilities without taking sufficient time to take care of yourself is like trying to tempt fate by slowly twisting open the lid of a pressure cooker that hasn’t had a chance to release all of its pressure yet.

You could always try to keep going forward and to take on more. But if you’re already sensing that you’re overwhelmed — that the pressure is still too high — it’s probably not going to bode well for your longterm effectiveness or wellbeing.

This brings me back to a simple piece of advice that seems to be offered often yet is rarely heeded: take time for yourself, take regular breaks.

Ironically, we may be the biggest objectors to this insisting that there is simply too much to do.

Here’s the thing: there’s always going to be a lot to do. And in general, it’s going to be much easier to recover from a slight setback in timing than it will be to recover from a setback in mental health.

Make time for yourself non-negotiable.