March 10 is approaching rapidly. For those who don’t know, it is the National Day of Rest for Black Women. The day also recognizes the death of civil rights and freedom pioneer Harriet Tubman - an appropriate time to encourage hard working Black women to take a break.
The day is a moment for us to recognize our work goes beyond pulling most of the weight for political elections. We are constantly leaned on in every area of life as daughters, mothers, wives, coworkers and more.
If you’re the Black woman who has a hard time even knowing when to take a rest, here are five ways you can do so during the National Day of Rest:
1.Unplug
I beg. Turn away from your Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads and whatever other social media. Algorithms are so unpredictable these days, you don’t know whether you’re going to see a funny cat video or another dissertation about Trump’s wrath from the White House. Just put the phone down and allow your brain to truly think about nothing. Decluttering our minds is critical to our health.
2.Beauty Bills
When’s the last time you got your nails done? Is it time to wash your hair? Sometimes beauty upkeep can be a pain but some consider this day as an excuse to pamper yourself. A good foot scrub, a tingly deep condition or even a 60-minute massage will do you some good.
3.Make Time for Rest
Work can consume so much of our time that we can even forget to eat. There is nothing as depleting as going to sleep after a long day and waking up not feeling rested. Before your body forces you into resting, carve out 30 or 45 minutes of time to lay down, meditate and decompress. Scan your body for muscle tension, do a lil stretch and then get back to your day.
4.Say No
Black women always have an added burden to their existing load. We are the emotional pillars people lean on for comfort and support. We are the glue that helps keep people’s puzzle pieces together. We are the brains that must insert our knowledge for making critical decisions. Many of these roles are not so much required of us but expected. On the day of rest, normalize saying “no.” Put the weight down.
5.Restore Your Joy
Whether you want to dive into that series you always wanted to watch, pick up that book you put down for a while or spend some time with the Lord, do something that brings you joy. Black women easily end up in a daily cycle of survival, constantly thinking about the next move we have to make for ourselves and sometimes, others. We have to mindfully make time to do something that makes us feel good and feeds our mind, body and spirit. Craft girlies, this is your time!