It has been told that Mother Teresa took 4 hours each morning to reconnect before she took a step into the world, and Pope John Paul took 3 1/2 hours of quiet time each morning. Yet most people bounce out of bed, hop in the shower, and think they are ready to tackle the world unarmed, disconnected, and ill-equipped.

The secret is to put your own oxygen mask on first before you try to help someone else. Just as in flying, you can’t help someone else if you’re not ready yourself. If you don’t take care of YOU first, you’ll have less to share with the world. Taking time for you isn’t selfish. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself and for others. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can experience burnout, stress, fatigue, reduced mental effectiveness, health problems, anxiety, frustration, inability to sleep, and even death. Are you experiencing any of these symptoms?