3. MAKE YOURSELF WHOLE

We can't say it enough. Rest. Rest. Rest. Take time off to rest your body and mind – not just from job related work but from home related work as well. (This does not mean that you can blame us for ignoring your "Honey Do" list! It does mean that you need to learn to balance this type of work with rest as well.) For some people that means kicking back in a hammock (or on a couch,) reading a book, strolling through the garden, etc. Find what unwinds you and take an occasional afternoon to yourself to do what makes you whole again.

4. REASSESS YOUR LIFESTYLE

Most of us don't work because we have this great undying need to spend 8-10 hours a day away from our "nest" but, rather, because we want to be able to afford those nests. Sometimes, however, we get caught up in the need to "acquire" things just because... a co-worker has one, the neighbors have got one, or advertisements tell us we need one. From time to time, reassess your spending and lifestyle. Do you really need (or even want) all of the STUFF that you've acquired and are probably paying money towards? What things can you cut out of your budget and what impact would they have if you did?

Years ago, right after my husband's death, I went to work for a State Agency. There were deadlines, disgruntled co-workers and members of the public to deal with, rapidly and ever changing laws and rules, and lots (and I mean LOTS) of paperwork to process daily. So, I began treating myself to "designer coffees" and occasional afternoons saw me taking my breaks at a nearby coffee house because I was working hard and "I deserved it." The occasional afternoon became daily and sometimes on the weekend and expanded to include gourmet delicacies and pastries and occasional treats for co-workers. However, when the stress of the job began to get so overwhelming that I felt my health was at issue I began to examine my options.