There’s an idea that a lot of people have that taking a break always looks a certain way, like a long weekend in the countryside, or maybe a beach holiday, or perhaps a lie-in on a Sunday. It could be a bath with candles, or any number of things – the point is, it’s something obvious and peaceful and slow, and that’s the only thing that counts.
Of course, sometimes that’s exactly what you need, but the truth is, breaks don’t always look like that – they don’t always look relaxing to the outside (even if you know they are to you personally), and they don’t always look like they make sense to anyone else. And that’s fine because breaks aren’t about doing what’s expected if that’s not actually going to help you slow down and relax. Instead, they should be something that allows you to enjoy the break in whatever way works for you, and with that in mind, here are some reasons why that’s the case.
Everyone’s Brain Works Differently
Some people unwind by doing nothing at all, whereas others feel restless unless they’re doing something. That’s why for one person, the idea of a good break is total silence and stillness, but for someone else, it’s music in their headphones, scrolling through something familiar, or going for a run with a podcast playing through their phone.
You might feel better after talking to people, or after being alone for a few hours. You might want to be outside, or inside, or on your feet, or under a blanket… As you can see, there are plenty of options and everyone’s got their own thing. And it changes too – what helped last year might not help now, and even what works on a Tuesday afternoon might not do anything for you on a Friday evening. And that’s part of it because we’re not just one thing either.
Tiny Breaks Still Count
Not every break needs to be long, and you don’t always need a full day off or a trip away from everything (which is ideal if you don’t have a lot of time, or your budget is tight, for example). The fact is that sometimes a five-minute pause is enough to reset your head, so something like stepping outside for some air or closing your eyes and breathing properly, or even just making a drink and actually sitting down to enjoy it instead of drinking it on the move can be so helpful.
What we’re saying is that small things help, and when you find something that gives you a moment of calm or comfort or clarity – even if it only lasts a few minutes – that’s a break worth taking.
Your Version Doesn’t Need To Make Sense To Anyone Else
As we’ve said, and as you probably already know anyway, everyone’s different – we’ve all got different likes and dislikes, and that’s just what it means to be human, whether you want to be part of the crowd or not. For example, you might find peace in music that other people find too loud, or you might switch off by reorganising something, or by cleaning, or by rewatching the same show for the tenth time, and other people just don’t understand the joy you get from it, just as you don’t understand the joy someone gets from something you don’t like.
It really doesn’t matter what you do – maybe you go for a drive, maybe you cook something, maybe you spend half an hour testing out new vape flavours because it gives your brain something light and familiar to focus on… It doesn’t need to be deep and it doesn’t need to be impressive as long as it helps you get the break you need.
Doing Nothing Isn’t Wasting Time
Sometimes we treat rest like it has to be earned, and like we need to get everything done first, and it’s a reward – sitting down or switching off is only allowed once the list is finished and the house is tidy and all the messages are answered, and so on. But the truth is that rest isn’t a reward, and instead it’s actually part of staying well, so it needs to be part of your day, not something you get to do after ticking everything else off your list.
After all, you’re not doing nothing, even if that’s how it might look and feel at times. What you’re really doing is letting your mind and body breathe for a bit, and if that means watching something easy, or scrolling without guilt, or simply being still for a while, that’s okay.
Sometimes You Don’t Realise You Need A Break
There are moments when everything feels fine on the surface, but you keep forgetting things, or snapping at people, or feeling tired for no clear reason, and you know something’s wrong, but you just can’t quite put a finger on it and it’s hard to stop getting annoyed or feeling grumpy or bad. And often, the answer is that it’s just that you haven’t had a proper break.
When we talk about taking a break, we don’t necessarily mean from work, although that is crucial and taking a few minutes each day, as well as a longer time for lunch, to unwind is vital, but there are other things to take a break from – anything that’s playing on your mind or making you work physically, for example. And true, taking time out doesn’t always fix everything, but it can definitely make the rest feel easier.
You Don’t Have To Be Productive
It’s easy to fall into the trap of turning your break into another task, especially when you want to learn something new, or catch up on life admin, or read something useful, or perhaps even do some chores around the house, and so on. That’s not necessarily a bad thing – if you need to do that stuff and you carve out time for it (and it feels relaxing for you), then go ahead.
But it’s also wise to remember that you don’t have to be improving yourself all the time, and you don’t always have to be ticking stuff off your to-do list. The fact is, you’re allowed to do something light and fun and perhaps even pointless if you want to, because it’s going to help you feel better and take some time out, and that’s what you’re actually aiming for.
