I Have Decided To Take More Breaks During the Workday. Here’s How.

I don’t take sufficient breaks during my workday. I end most days feeling drained and cranky. I want to change this pattern. So, I spent a few minutes this afternoon brainstorming some things I can do. My criteria for designing these small ‘moments’ of rest during the day are as follows:

• Screen-free: I will not be using any device with screens during this time.
• Use a non-dominant part of my body: I will not be using or straining my brain, mouth, or eyes during my breaks. Those are already over-worked and stretched pretty thin.
• Restrict input or stimulation: I will not be listening to anything that is cognitively demanding (podcast, audiobook, or youtube). Music is okay; it helps me relax.

Alright, with these ground rules set, here’s my schedule of breaks.

🪴 11 am — Plant break: I have 10 houseplants. Every day, I will pick one of them to pay attention to for at least 10 minutes. I will observe it, check if it’s doing alright, water it, move it, and dust it. Rotating between them, I will cover all my plants in 2 weeks — an ideal care schedule.

🚶🏽‍♀️+ 🥣 1 pm — Walk and lunch: At 1 pm every workday, I will leave my condo to take a 10–15 minute long walk in my neighborhood. On terribly wintery days, I will stick to one round around my block. No matter the weather, I always feel great after stepping outside and moving my body. Once I return, I will remain offline until I enjoy my lunch and am ready to resume my day.

🎧 4 pm — Eyes closed and listen to music: At 4 pm, I will lie on my couch, close my eyes and listen to music. I’ll remain there, eyes closed, for the length of at least two songs (5–7 minutes) before I get back to wrap up my day.

I’ve scheduled these slots into my calendar, and I’m hoping this plan works out for me. Share advice and tips if you’re good with balancing heavy work days with intentional periods of rest.

Read this post and more on my Typeshare Social Blog