I pull up to the drive-thru to order an iced tea and the voice crackles over the speaker “How can I help you?” A million things begin to run through my mind. Oh Honey lemme tell ya… Clean my house, do the dishes piled in the sink, cook dinner, or maybe let me climb through that pick up window and hide behind the donut counter for two hours of sugar and solitude.

Being a stay at home Mom to little children, for me, means I live where I work. It’s what I’d imagine sleeping in your office with your coworkers would be like. But imagine if the survival of all your coworkers was dependent on you and half of the day one or two of them were physically attached to you. After a while you’d need a break. You gotta get away. Even if just for an hour of quiet without having to worry that a loud crash from the other room means the toddler has again managed to climb on top of the tent and fallen through.

But accepting help and taking that break is another question altogether. At first I didn’t want to accept the help offered. I didn’t want to “take a break away” and, when I did, I would feel guilty and I’d check my watch to see how long exactly I’d been “off the clock”. But thanks to some wise persistent Mamas in my life, and my husband literally telling me not to come home for another hour, I learned to push through.

Accepting help, asking for help, and taking a break from your job doesn’t mean you don’t like your job, it means you love your coworkers enough to give them your best self when you’re around them.

So when the grocery store clerk asks if you need help to the car, say yes (even if you think they might not mean it). When a neighbor offers to babysit, say yes (obviously only if you like your neighbor and would trust them with your child). And when in doubt, go order that iced tea and play some of your favorite music in the car when you do it.

Today, take a break. Even if it’s just a big, deep breath when you find yourself alone for 30 seconds.

You got this!

Molly