Make time for a break
If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first four hours sharpening the axe – Abraham Lincoln
Once upon a time there was a Woodcutter who got a job at a timber merchant, where the pay and work conditions were good and for those reasons he was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area in the forest to work.
The first day the woodcutter cut down 18 trees. His boss was impressed and told him to keep it up as he was the best woodcutter on site. Motivated by these words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but only cut down 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder but only cut down 10 trees.
Day after day the woodcutter cut down fewer and fewer trees. His boss told him that if he did not chop down more trees each day he would lose his job. The woodcutter tried harder, he worked during all his breaks, but could still not cut down enough trees.
Eventually his boss fired him. The woodcutter was disappointed as he knew he had worked as hard as he could. He handed his axe back to his boss, who took one look at the axe and asked him when was the last he had sharpened the axe. The woodcutter replied by saying that he had never sharpened the axe as he was too busy trying to cut down trees.
The moral of this story is that you should not get so busy that you don’t take time to sharpen your axe. In other words, take a break or a holiday and spend some time reflecting on your life and on what you are trying to achieve. When you come back you will be refreshed and ready to hit the ground running again rather than running yourself into it.
Everybody needs a break to relax and unwind. A break from your routine; some alone time to recharge and relax away from all of life’s dramas.
Visiting new places and trying new things keeps your brain sharp and can be very fulfilling. You’ll quickly find yourself with a lot more energy, leaving you feeling recharged and ready for anything.
If you don’t take the time off to relax and unwind, you are putting yourself at risk of becoming stressed. Stress can have negative implications for your health, such as high blood pressure, heart disease and depression.
There is so much to do and see in the world, which just isn’t going to happen if you don’t put in the effort to make it happen. Take a break and experience new things, or you may regret it later.
In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take
What Should You Do Next
Caroline Wellingham is an accredited career and life coach and a certified NLP Practitioner. She loves encouraging, motivating and inspiring clients to achieve their career goals and ambitions. If you want to become passionate about your career and you think you could benefit from a career change coach then book in for a free 45 minute consultation: https://calendly.com/raisethebarlife/45-minute-coaching-session
If you would like to purchase a guide on Becoming Passionate About Your Career & Personal Development, click here >>>
If you would like to attend my free Masterclass on the 5 Steps You Need to take to Find Your Dream Career, sign up to attend here >>>. It lasts about 40 minutes and will cover the following:
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The 5 powerful steps you need to take in order to find your dream job this year.
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Get really clear about your 2018 career goals and move away from feeling stuck in a career rut.
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The key steps and actions you need to take to move from where you are right now to where you want to be in your future career.
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Start to feel super excited and motivated to make a change in your career in 2018 and making it happen!
