Homesteading is a lot of work. It’s definitely work that’s quite worth it, and if you are a homesteader, it’s probably what you signed up for. You are probably the kind of person who was willing to sacrifice the ease and convenience of modern life to roll up your sleeves, pull on your work boots, and get dirty doing what you love most.
If you’re a type-A personality and absolutely live to work, that’s great. Or maybe you get stressed out easily, and overwhelmed by all the spinning plates of homestead life. The thing is, regardless of how naturally hard-working you are or no, you need to learn to rest.
Now, of course, if you are a homesteader, you probably feel like it’s impossible to get any rest. Homesteading is beyond a full-time job, especially if you’re raising livestock, let alone children on top of that. Caring for living creatures takes work, and dedication, and constant attention. There are no vacations, days off, and sometimes, not even evenings off!
Homesteading certainly requires a good work ethic and a can-do attitude, but rest is also vital, and it is actually part of a smart approach to your workload.
If you don’t take enough time to rest and recoup, you will burn out, and this might put you in the position to be forced to abandon your homestead efforts further down the road. You might get yourself injured, or sick, or simply burn yourself out one day and experience psychological backlash.
Of course, since it does seem so difficult to rest if you’re a homesteader, you have to be smart about getting enough rest, and planning ahead. This might mean asking for some help from friends or family, finding a time of day each day, for 20 minutes or half an hour, to just relax and do something you enjoy or take a nap. It will certainly mean being well-organized and managing your time well for the things you need to do.
Another key is to avoid procrastinating or getting distracted, by putting off chores or getting caught up with social media or watching television when you have work to do. It will be far more restful to relax when you’ve actually earned it. Although you might not be doing anything when you’re procrastinating, because you have the pressure of the task you’re putting off looming over your head, it can actually be far less restful.
Your homestead is your life’s work, so make sure to take care of yourself as much as you take care of your land, your animals, and your family. You are the glue that holds everything together, so you need maintenance too! And rest is simply essential.
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