Down time. Alone time. Simple words that when strung together make for an absolutely amazing phrase, a phrase that many of us in this day and age don't get to use very often, am I right? Between work, school, or whatever else it may be that keeps you busy during the week, it can seem almost impossible to find a minute to just sit down, relax, and watch a few episodes of your current favorite television series.

I know too many people that tell me if they're not doing something, they feel tense and out of place. Life has become so much about the hustle and bustle that we feel like it's a bad thing to take a little time for ourselves every once in a while. I used to think this way too, especially during my senior year of high school knowing that I had plenty of things to do such as scholarships, studying, sports, and preparing for college. I had so much on my mind at once, trying to balance everything with a social life became nearly impossible. It was only in the last couple months of school when I finally sat down, and told myself it was time to take some weight off of my shoulders and just relax. Once I did this I found myself able to do things much more efficiently and stress free.

While spending time with friends and family is enjoyable and important, spending time alone is equally vital. Your entire life is a social event. If you work in retail or really anywhere that requires customer service and interaction, you are talking to people all day. In any other work or even school setting this is the case as well, being social is not an option, it's a necessity. Ask yourself this question: when was the last time you did something just for you? This can be anything, reading a book, taking a bath or something as simple as falling into your bed and taking a nice nap. Secondly, ask yourself, " Have I been feeling stressed out lately?" If your answer was yes, then it may just be time to catch a breath.

Life is busy, it's 2016 and the days aren't getting any longer. You may think that by constantly cramming to get stuff done and rushing to be places you're doing yourself a favor, but in reality you're doing yourself a dis-service. When your mind becomes as cluttered and overwhelmed as your weekly schedule, you begin to feel sluggish, tired, and beat down. That is where our favorite words come in: "down time."

Now, I am not encouraging you to procrastinate on getting things done that need to be done in a timely manner. I wouldn't recommend that you start calling in sick to work every day, or that you stop doing laundry for a month (no matter how tempting it may be). However, I would highly encourage that the next time you feel overwhelmed, you step back from your busy life, whether it be for five minutes or two hours, and really take some time for yourself. In this time, don't worry about the things that you need to do, focus on what you are doing and don't feel guilty about not completing a task, it will still be there when you're ready to get back to work.