by Melanie Spring, Sisarina

Have you had days (or weeks) where you are working so much that you forget to eat? That you get much less than the standard 8 hours of sleep so you can meet deadlines? Have you ever found your dog dancing at your feet at dinner time and you have no idea what he's trying to say? This is about the time you realize it's time for some time away... from everything.

Me: I am the mom of 2 adorable dogs who spend the entire day at the office or home with me. I am a manic-networker, friend-maker, hard-worker, book-reader, party-thrower, race-runner with an emphasis on the overachiever. If I sit still with nothing to do, I fall asleep. I am a whirlwind who can run everything on very little sleep and get everything done I promised. 

Sisarina: Sisarina has been my baby for 10 years. I have been either a full-time entrepreneur or a full-time employee with part-time entrepreneurial duties. Two years ago, I lost my job due to the market crash and jumped on the entrepreneur thing full-force again. Since then, I've had no real vacations, no days to sleep in, no time for just me.

Him: Five months ago, a man I met 12 years ago walked back into my life - a man I've never stopped loving. He came to visit and was able to show me how to relax and unwind. His easy-going personality was a perfect balance for my over-the-top craziness. Between Christmas and the new year, he made me take off time to just relax and enjoy life. I hardly worked, I didn't check my phone very often, I just enjoyed the quiet.

Sisarina: The new year hit and I was running again with more business than I knew what to do with. We started talking about taking a vacation in June and quickly realized the cost would be much higher than to go over his Spring Break in March. Plans were set, my Project Admin (Teresa) was prepping to take over while I was gone and my stomach was in knots. My baby, Sisarina, would be left for 10 days without me to make any decisions. Everyone assured me this would be a good thing for me. Although I knew it was true, I had my doubts.

Time Away: I took time away from my entire life. We went to Europe for 10 days - Germany, France and Belgium. We left... I checked in with Teresa in the evenings before bed but beside that, I had no phone, no communication, no constant stream of tweets in my head, no worries. I could just be. I didn't read books or magazines, I didn't read the news, I didn't listen to the radio, I just enjoyed everything. The food, the smells, the sights, the sounds, everything. I took time off... from everything.

Sisarina: I've been back for 48 hours and although I have a sinus infection and more work to do than I can even talk about, I am happy. I am relaxed. I am rejuvenated and excited about the new things to come for my business. Taking time off was the best thing I could have done.

Take time. Really take it. A weekend, a day, an evening - just get away from everything and thoroughly enjoy it. Be good to yourself. You need to be so that you can be good to everyone around you. Now, back to work for me.