The Importance of Taking Breaks

Photo by Daria Nepriakhina on Unsplash

I'm a huge fan of taking regular breaks. They're important at a small level (like taking a walk in the afternoon) and at a big level (like taking a week-long vacation). Why is it so important to take breaks? It's nice to get away from work, of course, but what else is there to a break?

I think shaking up your surroundings is important. It's easy to fall into a rut or get stuck in the same pattern of thinking if we do the same thing over and over again. Breaks can help us get out of old habits and find new ways to look at things. That's why I like taking walks in the afternoon. Getting away from the computer and around new sights helps me come up with new perspectives.

Breaks can also help us recharge. It's natural to get bored after doing one thing for a while but it may be important to get that thing done. The last of Stephen Covey's seven habits is "Sharpen the Saw". If we don't spend the time to sharpen our saw and get back to our peak condition, then it will take us longer to complete our goals.

Finally, breaks can help us appreciate the simpler things in life. Why do we work? Hopefully we enjoy our jobs, but even if we love what we do we need to take time to ourselves to prevent burning out. There's more to life than just work after all. Breaks can let you spend time on the other things in life that you enjoy.

What's your favorite way to take a break? Email me to let me know.