Anyone who has played, coached, or just follows sports know about timeouts. They can be an effective tool in changing the momentum of a game, giving a team a quick breather, or just an opportunity to refocus.

As parents, we may have given our kids a timeout every now and then when their behavior was less than stellar. Timeouts can be quite productive in helping a youngster gather his or her composure when they most need it.

But what about us?  Would a timeout be beneficial for our lives? Not necessarily a timeout because we were misbehaving or anything like that. But just a timeout from life. A period where we could just turn it all off and put things on hold for a while.

It may be that we’re going through a period of stress on the job, or some personal frustrations. For many who have just experienced a loss, there are most definitely days when a time off from life was just what the doctor ordered.

Being able to stop the world, turn off your brain and emotions and just enjoy a sunrise and a good cup of coffee in the morning would do most people a world of good.  No planning about the day’s activities or worrying about what’s in store. Just the ultimate chill moment.

It’s a good and healthy thing to do every now and them. Just take a timeout. Read a book, sit by the pool or go to the beach. Take a hike.

It seems like we can’t do that, though. There’s always something to do. Someplace to go. A child  or family member who needs our attention. Chores around the house that must be done.

Taking a timeout from time to time will help energize you to do all that you need to do and more. Be sure to work breaks into your schedule and take those timeouts when you need them. You will not regret it.