10 Ways To Give Yourself A Break

For a long time I made the mistake of thinking I could work or study ALL day. I would sit at my computer for excessively long hours, and while I thought I was working hard I was often VERY unproductive. I have finally learned (after only eight years of post-secondary education) that to be mentally healthy I need to have a balanced relationship to my work. The most crucial, yet most challenging part is knowing when to stop and rest. In this post I will share some strategies I have developed for taking an effective and nourishing break. Not only does this benefit my overall well-being, it allows me to maintain focus and productivity over the long term without my mind and body rebelling.

Taking breaks is key. Sometimes this means short ones, and sometimes it looks like taking the entire day off to go hiking. Pretending to work, but not actually getting work done, is the absolute worst. If your brain is done, it's done, so don't force it. This is extremely important and often hard to recognize (I still need reminders to take my own advice in this respect). I've learned that when I deny myself rest my body starts to send creative little unconscious indicators to try to get me to take a break. I will need to pee. Frequently. I will get food cravings (chocolate, anyone?). I will want sex. Perhaps most of all though, I will find it near impossible to resist mindlessly surfing social media. 

And yet, we all still need to be productive and get our work done. It's easy to take a break that accidentally turns into a 3-hour diversion. So how do we optimize our breaks so we can be productive, healthy, and avoid burning out? 

I like the Pomodoro Technique, which basically is an egg timer shaped like a tomato (pomodoro means tomato in Italian) that times you for 25-minute working intervals. You don't need the tomato, you can do it just as easily with the timer on your phone or computer or any other device. The basic concept is to work in a completely focused manner for 25 minutes, then give yourself a 5 minute break. Repeat four times, and then give yourself a substantial break, and then start again.

This is a helpful way to get momentum going when you are having difficulty sitting down to work or find yourself procrastinating. Focusing for 25 minutes feels very manageable amount. I don't do this all the time, or even most of the time anymore, but I have integrated the basic concept which is to take short but frequent mental breaks, because your brain truly needs them. If you find yourself flipping to social media incessantly, don't beat yourself up about it - you are probably doing it because what you really need is a break, but you aren't letting yourself have one.

The key to taking a good break is letting your mind relax. Make sure you do something AWAY from your screen. Checking your email doesn't count. Moving your body is good. Here are my favourite suggestions:

1. Make tea. Sit and drink it. Enjoy the steam and smell and don't think too much.
2. Do a yoga pose. I like warrior 1. Do ten deep breaths in the pose and then repeat on the other side. Or try a gentle back bend if you know you have poor posture while sitting - this will help to counteract the slouch. 
3. Put on a favourite song and have a solo dance party.
4. Put on a favourite song and just shake your body. Shake everything, your hands, elbows, shoulders, working your way through all the parts. Sounds weird, I know, but feels really good. 
5. Have a quick shower. End by turning the water to cold. I find this very refreshing and energizing. 
6. Go outside! Walk around the block. Or just go into your yard and put your bare feet on the ground (weather permitting of course). 
7. Do one small chore - put away your laundry, tidy your room. Don't let this become a big chore, just a small one. You'll feel doubly better having a clean room as well as having had a mental break. 
8. Roll with a ball: get a lacrosse ball or other small ball, and use it to work out sore or tight muscles. Either lean against a wall with the ball between your back and the wall, or put the ball on the ground and lie/sit on it and roll up and down. If this doesn't make any sense to you, watch this short video for an example. You can get more creative and roll all different parts of your body - perhaps your hip flexors, traps, or shoulders. This is a great self-massage technique for sore or tight muscles, and also helps prevent myofascial adhesions.
9. Make yourself a snack! Choose something healthy with a balance of protein and carbohydrates. Favourites of mine include such as apples with almond butter, hard boiled eggs with Mary's crackers, or my energy balls. 
10. Get upside down. Either lie with your back on the floor or bed and put your feet up a wall, or try doing a handstand against the wall, or even a headstand if you know how to do so safely. I find this helpful because it gets my circulation going and also because it is both a literal and figurative shift in perspective that sets me back to work in a new frame of mind. 

Just purely reminding yourself to get up and get your blood flowing, in whatever way works for you, will help prevent you from feeling completely depleted at the end of your day. A long day of sitting is exhausting. Perhaps your break will be as simple as walking to the bathroom to pee or going to fill your water glass. The key is to make them short and regular. Perhaps make your own list and post it on your bulletin board near where you work. Set your timer, and when it is time for a break you can look to the list for ideas rather than resorting to a social media "junk break". See this as a gift and act of respect for yourself. Allow yourself to take the time to do something nourishing and refreshing. And then return to work, ready to work with renewed vigour.

These are ideas that have worked for me, and helped me work hard, be productive, and avoid exhaustion. What's your favourite way to take a break? 

Disclaimer: Information can be empowering, but we all have unique health profiles and needs. Health-related information contained in this post is intended to be general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for a visit with a Naturopathic Doctor. The advice is intended to offer only a general basis for individuals to discuss their medical condition with their health care provider.  Always consult your licensed Naturopathic Physician, or visit the Boucher Naturopathic Medical Clinic for individual care.