Being a child and hearing the school-bell ringing for the break was the best feeling. Running out, talking to your friends, eating a sandwich, or playing football. The breaks are full of excitement, freedom, and fun. Spending the whole day in the classroom the breaks are the highlights!
Being an adult, we usually try to eat something as quickly as possible so we can go back to work fast. Maybe we have a cheap coffee or only use the bathroom. Before the break starts we already thought about the work we will have to do next.
The excitement and fun of a break are covered by the thoughts and hustle of the work. These kinds of breaks don´t fulfill their purpose.
The idea of taking a break is to take a step back, get distanced from the stress and work. It is simply time to recover body and mind.
A lot of people just take very short breaks because they have a lot of pressure to work more, achieve a lot, and become successful. The opinion that working more will bring more results can be misleading.
The efficiency and working capacity increase with a proper balance of recovery and work. Companies in various countries already reduced the weekly working hours because they see that people work better, with fewer mistakes, and overall perform better.
`Not working´ is not automatically the same as `taking a break´.
Numerous methods can help to have a break that actually helps you to recover body & mind and take a step back from the race of success.
Change the location
A lot of business owners just take a bite while working at their desks. Changing the location helps your mind to actually understand that it´s time to relax. Go to the cafeteria or find another place that makes you feel good. This is a simple but effective way to put yourself in the “break-mood”.
Actively distance yourself
Having strategies to actively distance yourself from the work is very important. Stand for your break: if someone wants to know something, tell them to come back later.
Some people consciously close their office door to leave their work inside mentally.
The routine of actively distancing from the work and consciously taking a break is the most important step to be able to recover and relax.
Do something for your well-being
To make the break better, to get back your energy and be your best self, go for a walk or do some stretching, eat good lunch or listen to some good songs. Even just taking a short break, something for your well-being is needed so you can get back to work with a fresh mind, new ideas, energy, and vision.
