We all need a break at one point or another, but perhaps you need one NOW. You may say that you are absolutely too busy to take a break or there is no way that you can let go right at the moment. These are both signs that you need a break TODAY.
誰都需要時不時休息一下。說不定此刻你就需要休息。或許你會說太忙沒空休息，要麼當下根本就無法脫身。倘若如此，說明你確實今天就得歇一歇。
If you find yourself saying any of the following, it’s time to take a day off and turn off the computer and all of your notifications and get away.
如果你發現自己也有下面這些情況，說明你有必要關掉電腦、丟開報告、花一天時間好好休息一下了。
1. There is Only 24 Hours in a Day
一天只有24小時
Are you one who says that there is never enough time in the day to get everything done? Are you running around somewhat like a chicken with its head cut off? If you continue at this pace, you will always be behind. You are putting tons of items on your plate and only a few items are getting completed.
你是不是總覺得一天的時間不夠用、事情總也做不完?你是不是像沒頭蒼蠅似的到處亂撞?若持續下去，你肯定會一直趕不上趟。你的日程排得太滿、能完成的任務卻寥寥無幾!
2. Your Social Life is Non-Existent
沒有社交生活
If this phrase rings true, then you definitely need a break. It has been said that not spending enough time with friends and family is one of the top regrets of people on their deathbeds. Do you want that to be you?
若果真一語擊中，那你絕對需要休息。據說很多人臨死之前最後悔的就是沒多花點時間陪陪親友。你想成為那樣的人嗎?
If you are missing your children’s events, missing momentous occasions from your best friends, and your family has no idea where you are at, then a break is long overdue.
如果你經常錯過小孩的活動、好友的重要時刻，或你的家人常常不清楚你身在何處，那麼休息絕對是迫切之需。
3. A Change Throws You for a Loop
改變會讓你措手不及
Are you flexible? Do you hate change? Change is what should bring you opportunities and a chance to see life in a new perspective. However, if you are continually trying to be in charge of every single aspect of your life without allowing room for change and absolutely detest when someone asks to change a meeting time, then you definitely need to take a deep breathe and schedule a day off.
你靈活變通嗎?是否討厭改變?改變帶來機會並創造生活新視覺。但是，如果你總試圖掌控生活的方方面面，根本不留任何變通餘地，要是有人提出改變會面時間，你甚至會心生嫌惡，那麼你絕對需要深呼吸、給自己放一天假!
4. You Have Dinner at the Office
在辦公室吃飯
Does ordering in for dinner and having it delivered to the office ring a bell? Or what about eating in front of your computer telling yourself that this last deck must get out tonight? If you cannot take 30 minutes to de-stress and eat in a peaceful (note: mobile and work free) environment, then you must start to ask why and make yourself distance away from work. Lastly, schedule a day to disconnect. No email. No calls. No thinking about the to-do lists. A day to yourself.
你總是訂快餐、然後在辦公室解決吧?是不是還一邊盯著電腦咀嚼、一邊想著某個任務今晚必須搞定?如果你連30分鐘都抽不出來、無法保證不接電話不幹活、安靜放鬆地吃頓飯的話，那可得找找原因、暫時避開工作了。接下來，請給自己安排一天假：不回郵件，不接電話，不想任何工作事情，好好放鬆自己。
5. The Gym Hasn’t Seen You in Months
好幾個月沒去健身了
You have not had any injuries. You used to be at the gym five out of the seven days a week, and now you are so busy working from sunrise to sunset. If anytime fitness was closer, then you would try to squeeze in a twenty minute workout, but it is a balancing act between sleep and working out.
你並未抱恙受傷。以前，你每周有五天會去健身;現在，你朝九晚五地忙碌，如果到了健身時間，你會擠出20分鐘來運動，為睡眠和健身之間尋求平衡。
6. Phone Calls Anger You
一來電話就生氣
Hearing the ring of your telephone just sends an overall sense of more work. The words 「it never ends」 continues to go through your mind. Work is constantly calling or if it is your best friend that you have not talked to in months is calling, you sadly slide the notification to decline. Sighing and saying, 「One day, it will be better.」 I’m here to tell you that it’s time to take a break and realize that a phone call may just be what you need from your best friend.
電話一響你就條件反射地想到又來任務了，腦子裡全是「沒完沒了」的牢騷。不論是工作電話還是好久未聯繫的好友電話，你都鬱悶地按下「拒接」鍵，嘆氣安慰自己：「總有一天，情況不再這麼糟糕吧。」說真的，或許你該歇口氣，說不定會發現電話恰好就是好朋友打來的呢。
7. What Used to Bring You Joy is Now A Hindrance
以前曾讓你開心的事情，現在卻變得礙手礙腳
That hobby and job that you once loved seems more like an obligation than something that makes you smile. You regret every item that has to deal with the job. It feels as if you are chained to it and cannot escape. As my friend AJ Leon said so eloquently, 「I have met many entrepreneurs that leave a job they feel is a prison, only to find that now the door is locked from the inside and they are holding the key.」 No more smiles and happiness.
曾經喜歡的興趣和工作，現在更像是義務，已經無法讓你感到快樂了。所有跟工作掛鈎的事情都讓你倍感懊惱。你仿佛被它牽絆著、無法逃脫。我的朋友AJ Leon說得非常形象：「我見過很多辭去圍城般工作的企業家，到頭來卻發現自己手裡有鑰匙，而門卻反鎖著。」從此微笑不再、快樂不再。
8. You Answer Emails as You Go To Bed and Right When You Wake-up
臨睡覺或剛睜眼就回覆郵件
Are you answering work emails in your bed at night and then checking your email immediately upon waking? Taking work with you to bed is a recipe for a high stress lifestyle. Having it by your side 24/7 is a recipe for disaster. You are always thinking about work and adding it to your to-do list, which is not giving you any time to yourself. It’s time for a break.
你是否晚上上床了還在回復工作郵件、早上一睜眼又在查收郵件?臨睡覺時還在工作是一種高壓生活方式。無時無刻不在工作的話，簡直是不要命了。你腦子裡一直想著工作、任務單上也都是工作，完全沒有自己的時間?那麼是時候歇一歇了。
9. You Have a Quad Americano Three Times a Day
一天喝三次美式咖啡
Does your barista know your orders based on the look that is on your face when you walk? Do you have a morning, afternoon, and evening order all with at least four shots of espresso? Maybe it’s time to step back and realize that all the caffeine in the world is not going to make your work go away.
單憑你走路的神情，咖啡店員就知道你想點什麼了吧?你是不是每天早中晚至少要喝四杯濃縮咖啡?那麼是時候反省反省了——靠咖啡因刺激不可能長久提高工作效率。
10. You Are Never Home
從不歸家
Your roommates don’t believe you exist. They get the rent check but never actually see you. Your house looks impeccable because you have not had enough time to spend there to make it dirty. You have just a couple of groceries in your pantry, and the refrigerator is empty with the exception of condiments that have a two year expiration date. You are literally home to sleep and wake up early to do it all over again. It’s an unsustainable lifestyle. You live and breathe work.
你的室友都意識不到你的存在。他們會收到你的房租支票，卻很難見到你本人。你的屋子看上去完美無瑕，因為你很少呆在裡面，更別說把屋子搞髒搞亂了。你的碗櫃裡有那麼幾顆蔬菜，冰箱裡除了過期兩年的調味品便再也沒有其他。其實你也回來睡覺，但醒來後便人去屋空。這種生活方式簡直不像話——你只為了工作而活!
It’s time for a break if you can check off one of these items. It’s time for a week vacation if more than two apply to you. If you have all ten, then you need to take a break, go on vacation, and reexamine this lifestyle because you only have this one and is this how you want to live?
如果你發現自己也有以上情況，那麼該休息一下了。可能的話，休一兩個星期的假吧。要是時間更充裕，那就去度假，反省一下這種生活方式。畢竟，人只有這一輩子，你真想這麼過下去嗎?
更多精彩內容 >> 新東方網英語頻道
全國新東方英語課程搜索
（實習編輯：高奕飛）