. WHY YOU NEED A BREAK & HOW TO REALLY TAKE ONE .
As I write this post, I 100% should be taking my own advice, and really stopping and giving myself a break, rather than blogging and pushing myself even further to do more and keep going. But they say taking your own advice is always the hardest?
Often, with lives that run at 100 miles and hour, we can find our body and mind in desperate need of a break more often than we may care to accept. Often this is as a result of us working too hard, pushing our bodies to the limit & not giving ourselves the time to relax, unwind, live well and live healthily. Whether it’s feeling totally exhausted, getting yourself run down, continuously fighting off illness, or suffering with migraines when things get pressurised (like me), I bet i’m not the only one working my body to the grind and burning the candle.
But I also bet, i’m not the only one who appreciates how bad this actually is, and also strives for a better, healthier work, life balance, and knows that keeping yourself healthy and happy both mentally and physically is the key to better work, better productivity, increased positivity, more creativity and better health.
In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision. Dalai Lama
When you’re positive, relaxed and ‘well’, then you will naturally be more ‘you’. When we get run down or stressed, our true personalities can hide away and get lost to stress, panic and anxiety. Clearly this is no good for anyone – not least for you. Being able to stay in state is a key skill that any successful person has, and accepting the importance of it will be pivotal in your own success too.
Naturally the best way to keep state, is to give yourself time to ‘check in’ with yourself, rest up & keep on the ball. So today, I thought i’d share 5 ideas on how to give yourself a break throughout the day.
Start by making a small change everyday …
#1 WALK & TALK
Number one. Not everything has to be done at your desk. In fact, the more you can get away from it the better. One of my favourite tricks from my Creative leadership training course last week, was understanding the value in ‘talking and walking’, not only will you find you end up having seriously productive conversations and probably ending the walk with some real good actions (seriously, its super effective), but it’s also a great way for you to get the blood flowing, getting some fresh air, changing your scenery to get inspired and simply getting away from your desk, your work and even your stresses.
Even a five minute walk could do some serious magic to your mood & positivity.
#2 EXERCISE
We all know how great exercise is at cleaning your head and helping you relax (let alone getting you fit and healthy) so spending a little effort making time and motivating yourself to get fit, do a little exercise and keep healthy is a really positive step towards improving your well being.
I always have the age old excuse ‘i don’t have enough time’ … but what’s important is making time. Your happiness and health is the most important thing, and exercise is key to it.
#3 ME TIME
Taking a break with others is great, but actually taking some time out on your own is also good too. We don’t spend enough time just being by ourselves and truly relaxing, and so giving yourself 10 minutes every now and then just to sit, be you, and check ourselves can be really helpful.
Try giving yourself a little me time this week. Whether it’s a 10 minute meditation in the morning before your day kicks off, or just going on a little stroll at lunch time to clear your head, whatever it is and however big or small, putting your phone and computer aside, and just having some time to YOU is a really easy way of giving yourself a break.
#4 TEA BREAK
There’s a reason people love tea breaks. They are the easiest, quickest and most simple way of adding a 5 minute break to your day, everyday, and genuinely stepping away from your desk and work. So make the most of them. Whether it’s offering to do a tea round, nipping out to get a coffee (and getting some fresh air) or just having a quick chat in the kitchen with colleagues or friends.
Taking a little moment to step away is more valuable than you probably realise. And it goes without saying how taking a proper lunch break can really step change your day – it’s my promise to myself to actually try and take a lunch break everyday from now on.
#5 SOCIALS
When you think about when you are your happiest, it’s probably when you’re with friends, partners or family. They put a smile on your face, give you stitches from laughing and generally just bring a bundle of joy to your day. They also force you to have a break from all the stresses and pressures at work … so all in all they’re 10/10. So do them more.
Make sure you keep that work life balance by spending time with your favourites. Giggle to your hearts content, let all your worries and pressures fall away, and genuinely enjoy yourself. You’ll feel, happy, refreshed and positive even after 30 minutes with your pals.
If you like me, often find yourself run down and exhausted, then challenge yourself with taking more breaks, giving yourself more time out & getting yourself into a more positive place everyday. You’ll be totally surprised the impact it can make on your life, even just a 10 minute break a couple of times a day.
I’d love to know if you have any tips or advice for taking breaks, or whether you’re feeling inspired to make some small changes to your day & take a little more time out too?
