Our brain needs a rest now and then!

Research has found that taking breaks can improve mood, boost performance and increase our ability to concentrate and pay attention.

Taking breaks is not a nice to have it is actually a MUST have if we want to remain productive and want to get the most out of our resources!

When you don’t give your mind a chance to pause and refresh, it doesn’t work as efficiently. You may also experience burnout and other the health problems, such insomnia, excessive worry, weight gain, tiredness/exhaustion and other illnesses associated with chronic stress.

Ever notice, when you have your best insights?

When you leave something and come back to it perhaps when you aren’t thinking about it at all… right?

Why?

Because just like a machine our brains need a recharge in order to work effectively and when overused runs out of battery life and could stop working effectively!

Since Covid I have noticed (myself included) many of us are going at 100 miles an hour. For many there is no separation between work and home and tending to just keep going with very little switch off time.

Here are some tips to break the cycle, stay sane, increase productivity whist reducing working hours:

 

  • Use a default diary – This is a system that invites you to book in blocks of time to do specific tasks and have specific meetings in your diary that way you account for everything you want to do and already do. This helps you to develop habits to plan and complete specific tasks on a regular basis, preventing a build-up of tasks and stress. The default diary ensures time is blocked for those tasks that either never get done or just get done at the last minute – important but not urgent.

 

  • Map out your daily regular meetings and tasks into your default diary including some ME time and STICK TO IT religiously.

 

  • Plan a 15-minute gap between meetings. This will allow for any lateness in starting a meeting (reducing stress of rushing from one meeting to another) and for much needed comfort breaks and refreshments – yes we do need them they aren’t just a nice to have.

 

  • Plan for the expected. For example, if you know a certain meeting will be heavy or leave you worrying about something then allow some time after the meeting to reflect on the way forward. Conversely if you know you need to take some time to plan for a meeting beforehand then factor that in to your diary.

 

  • When you are on a break take some fresh air perhaps a short walk or just a sit down in the garden – Stepping outdoors can open up boundaries, allow for a sense of freedom and possibilities to enter in to your mind.

 

  • Focus on one activity at a time – we were never meant to be skilled at multi-tasking and in fact often tasks takes us a lot longer when we are doing more than one at a time.

 

  • Switch off from electrical items, when taking a break (being on social media or on your phone isn’t really taking a break) perhaps do some mindful or mediation exercises, simply breath for a few minutes, and/or just check in with yourself by asking yourself 3 questions (3 minutes meditation practice):-

How am I feeling?

What sensations is my body feeling?

What am I thinking?

If you want to experience this 3-minute meditation come along to the next FREE Mind Matters Workshop where I take you through this live.

Here’s the link to book

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpduirpzwtH9DGkljoGpMwJC4SZDgDdABp

Looking forward to seeing you, don’t forget to put it in your diary!