I know the cycle: Wake up. Get coffee. Go to class. Eat. Do some homework. Go to class. Eat. Go to work. Do homework. Go to bed. Repeat.

Okay, maybe we'll skip some steps...unintentionally, of course.

We may skip meals just to get a head start on homework. We may pull an all-nighter to study for an exam coming up.

Doing this every once in a while is not harmful, but doing this often can be dangerous to your health.

I get it. That's me. I'm the girl who works hard and has barely any time for fun things. Of course my hard work pays off, but it can get exhausting.

Or maybe I don't give myself the time to take a break.

We all have our routines. "The daily grind" takes on a literal meaning. It feels great to be productive. But we have to remember that we can be happy in spite of our busy schedules. We don't have to sacrifice our happiness for success. It's possible to have both.

Last week I was having an awful day and was really stressed. I decided to skip one of my classes so I could take a break. At first I felt bad about it because I had never skipped that class before, but I realized later that I felt so much better. I didn't miss much either.

Sometimes those 50 minutes of relaxation count. They can do wonders for your health.

I'm going to try my best to give myself a break more often. The hardest part is giving yourself permission to relax. We are so hard on ourselves. We think we have to be at our best all the time. This just isn't possible.

Another important thing that people don't realize is that taking a break can really boost your productivity.

Even though we may feel productive when we are constantly busy and constantly working, burnout happens. Exhaustion is real. We aren't invincible!

I'm not encouraging you to skip class whenever you feel like it, but I am encouraging you to take a break when you feel like everything is too overwhelming. Take a break when life feels too monotonous. Take a break when you feel like you're exhausted.

For me, taking a break can be as simple as watching some funny YouTube videos, taking a long shower, or reading a book. Do what works best for you.

We all need to decompress sometimes, and that's okay.