Kelly schedules down time

Kelly Clarkson's manager schedules her free time in her diary.

The Mr. Know It All hitmaker - who shot to fame after winning 'American Idol' in 2002 - hit a low point when she started to struggle with the pressures of fame five years ago, so her manager now makes sure she takes rest days.

She said: 'It's a worry, that's why I really make a point to put time in the schedule. My manager does that for me now, he's like, 'No, you should take a break soon so you're not doing the same thing over and over, you need a break.' So he'll put it in the schedule for me too.

'But I'm super-happy now so I'll tell people, 'Nope, that's my time off. I'm not working.' So I'm very adamant about making sure I have off-time.'

Although she acknowledges the need to take breaks from her career, Kelly is a self-confessed workaholic and admits she finds it hard to say 'no' to people.

The 29-year-old pop star - who released her fifth studio album Stronger last month - added: 'I'm a workaholic so it was really hard for me. People come up to me and tell me it would be really cool if they could see me in Europe again and I start thinking, 'Oh I could do that and take fewer days off.'

'I really push myself, so it's really just me telling myself no. I just really like working. But then I agree to things and get out there and I'm exhausted because I haven't stopped and taken time to breathe. That's just something you have to learn.'