I let myself “fall behind” and nothing “fell apart”

The last week was not my most productive. My husband was out of town and when solo-parenting I like to have a full weekend of fun activities. As some may relate to this, my kids seem like they respond better out of the house, they tend to get a little stir crazy if they’re inside for too long.

However, a little spring sickness ran through our home so as my husband left for his planned departure, I came down with a cold from my two dear children. Our activities were cancelled, and we bunkered down. The todo list began piling up and I watched as laundry collected, and dirty dishes accumulated in the sink.

There were moments when I felt like I was falling behind, when I heard “you should be doing more”, “it won’t take that long just get it done”, “You’ll get sleep tonight (rest later, be task-oriented now)” and in those moments, in the past I would have pushed through. Through my own healing journey though, I was able to react differently.

I let laundry pile up and I let dishes sit longer than usual. I ordered takeout and asked for support in cleaning my home. I took life one day at a time and was gentle with myself during the process, not letting expectations weigh down on me.

I shifted the demands I put on myself for my business tasks that I like to complete “weekly” and took naps when I had breaks between clients. I moved things on my schedule to the following week and I was able to do it without feeling guilty, because I was tired. My body needed rest more than my to-do list needed completion.

The crazy part, nothing fell apart. My business didn’t collapse. My clients were supported and received me being present rather than burnt out. My family survived on the food that we had, the laundry finally got put away, the dishes got cleaned.

It didn’t always used to be that easy for me to slow down and listen to what my body needed.

As a high-achieving woman I get that it can be hard to slow down. Rest can trigger uncomfortable thoughts like, “I’m falling behind”, “I’m being too lazy”, “I should be doing more”, “Everyone else seems to be able to handle it.” It’s also confusing when you’re praised for over-functioning, and when slowing down emotions that you’ve been avoiding (for who knows how long) start to bubble up as well as beliefs that somehow you’re accomplishments are tied to your worth as a human.

Rest is learning to listening to what your body needs and is trying to tell you. Sometimes that looks like asking for support, letting the todo list pile up, taking naps and forgetting your chores. Implementing the lack of doing something doesn’t mean you’re giving up, it means that you’re learning how to keep your system regulated by prioritizing yourself.

If the week feels messy, remember you’re human, your todo list can wait, and you deserve to recharge, the world won’t fall apart.

If slowing down feels deeply uncomfortable—or anxiety makes rest feel impossible—therapy can help you understand why.

I work with high-achieving women navigating anxiety, burnout, and trauma throughout California.