The Power of Planning Your Time Off (Before Stress Decides For You)
There are moments in life when you look around and think… “Now what?”
I was standing in one of those seasons. I had just graduated with my master’s degree, full of ideas about teaching people how to understand this thing we call stress — but unsure what came next or how to begin.
So, I did something small but meaningful: I took a day off from work and attended a work-life balance workshop. At the time, it felt like a simple decision. Looking back, that single day changed the way I live my life — and how I teach others about stress today.
The speaker that day was a business owner, a parent, and someone who clearly understood what it meant to juggle responsibilities. But instead of talking about productivity hacks or working harder, he shared one surprisingly simple habit:
Every year, he sits down with his calendar and blocks out all the days he needs off — vacations, appointments, mental-health days, everything.
Not hopes to take off.
Not “maybe when things slow down.”
Not “if my schedule allows.”
He puts them on the calendar first.
And that hit me.
We sign up for a race… and suddenly we train.
We book a flight… and magically we show up at the airport on time.
We commit to a meeting… and somehow we honor it before we honor our own rest.
So why don’t we treat our well-being with the same level of commitment?
They always say:
👉 When it goes on the calendar, it becomes real.
When time off exists only in your head, it becomes optional.
When it lives on your calendar, it becomes a priority.
And here’s the truth we don’t like to admit:
If we don’t schedule our reset time intentionally…
Stress will eventually schedule it for us.
Illness steps in.
Burnout steps in.
Exhaustion forces a shutdown.
Planning rest isn’t indulgent —
💛 It’s preventive care.
Since that workshop, I’ve adopted the same habit:
At the start of each year, I sit with my calendar and I map out:
Vacation time
Doctor and wellness appointments
Personal days
Space to breathe, reset, and be human
Sometimes plans shift, because life happens. But when the time is already reserved, I’m far more likely to honor it — instead of waiting until I feel overwhelmed.
✨ This Month’s Challenge
Look ahead at your year and:
1️⃣ Schedule one appointment you’ve been putting off
2️⃣ Block one day off — even if it feels uncomfortable to do so
And if you’re already doing this?
AMAZING. 👏
Challenge yourself to review your entire year and protect your time with intention.
Because you deserve to rest before your body demands it.
And remember…
