We often think of a break as something we are putting down or stopping. Halting work or productivity for a while. This does make sense, but it isn’t the full story, because it is perfectly possible to stop working or being productive for quite a long time, but not really get much benefit from that.
For example, you might stop working while you eat your lunch, but you might stay at your desk, browsing on your computer. You might spend half an hour doing that, but at the end of it, not really feel any different.
The best breaks or downtime are not only about the lack of work, they are about giving ourselves one or more of these four things:
Rest
If you are on the go all the time – physically, mentally, or both – then your batteries will be ground down. That can be an issue because it is exhausting, but also because it starts affecting your ability to be productive, which only makes you push yourself harder, grinding you down even more. It can also mean that it is hard to do things that you actually want to do, because you only have energy left for collapsing on the sofa.
For this, it can be useful to think about breaks being an opportunity for rest – both physically and mentally. Sometimes TV or scrolling is exactly that. Sometimes it isn’t really, it is just filling time. The difference is this: do you feel rested at the end of it? You might sometimes find that you actually feel more mentally “full” or just a bit tense, bored and frustrated at the end of it. If that is the case, try some small ways of offering yourself rest:
Lie flat on the floor and look up at the ceiling. It doesn’t have to be for ages, even just the length of a song.
Allow your brain to process the day by giving it something mindful to do before you sit yourself down. Go for a walk or have a warm shower. Something that involves physical cues to make it easier to be a little bit more “in the room.”
If you have to commute or do the school run, try putting on background music with no lyrics, instead of a podcast or word-dense songs. Something that gives your brain a little less to chew on.
Unclenching
When you are on the go all day, particularly if you are having to rush around or deal with things that make you tense, your body will be getting tighter and tighter all day. You might notice this in your shoulders, getting more hunched and ending up with back or neck pain. Or, in your forehead, with a little frown or squint being held all day.
Taking a minute or two a couple of times a day to simply unclench your body can mean that by the time you reach the end of the day, there isn’t quite as much tension or pain as there might be.
Breathing: even just 60 seconds of taking some slow, deep breaths, in through the mouth and out through the nose.
Stretching: simple shoulder rolls, moving your head around, stretching towards the ceiling and down to the floor.
Recharging
The things that make us feel the most replenished or recharged usually require a bit of energy to do. For example, exercise, going to see a friend, engaging with a creative hobby. Even reading. When you are completely depleted, it’s very hard to get yourself to do any of this stuff. But, the less you do of the things that actually make you feel recharged (which will be different for each of us), the more depleted you feel.
If you can practice changing the order you do things in (doing things that give you energy before you have wiped yourself out doing all the jobs) then actually, you have a better chance of actually being able to do those jobs and do them well.
Fun
If you end up in a cycle where you spend almost all your time on productivity or slumping -which is very easily done - you might find that your mood isn’t great. It might seem like a simple or obvious thing, but it is fundamental: if there isn’t any fun in your life, it is hard to feel good. Sometimes the point of taking a break is to make sure there are bits of fun or meaning in your life. That might be making time to hold the hand of someone you love. It might be kicking a ball around with someone. It doesn’t have to be huge. Little moments make a difference.
Something to think about
How much of each of these four things do you get in your life at the moment?
Something to do
If you aren’t sure how much of these you are getting, or you don’t know where to start, it might be worth trying keeping an activity diary. That is simply noting down the things you do each day, and keeping track of where your energy levels are. That might help you spot patterns or opportunity for making changes.
Thanks for reading! Until next week,
Ted
P.S. Sometimes the fun bit is the tricky one, because sometimes we feel like it needs to be something big like a hobby or a comedy night, but it doesn't really. Sometimes watching my kids highlights this to me: they will see a tree and want to climb it. They will skip rather than walking. Sometimes fun isn't about what you do, but the way you do it.
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