How to take effective breaks
Hi student and career support sub-community! I hope everyone is having a good Tuesday so far. I've been working a lot on writing forum posts ahead of time and also some other 7 Cups stuff. It's interesting how I can work on the things that I do for long periods of time without taking breaks. It might be because I really love 7 Cups and debate and all the other activities I'm involved in! But I still wanted to talk about the importance of taking breaks today and talk about how to take more effective breaks!
Why are breaks important?
Breaks are really important to give our mind some rest! Often as a worker or student, we put a lot of energy into what we're supposed to be doing. Whether it's studying or if it's working on a team project, it's easy to get really tired and feel unenergized to work. That's where breaks come in! It's important that we give our mind some rest and let our "batteries" recharge.
The battery analogy is a great way to think of our energy that we have to work on things. For something to operate or function well, it's ideal that it is "charged" and has full or near full battery. When we focus or work on things or study, we are slowly draining that battery. Taking breaks, practicing self-care, and just relaxing is how we recharge our batteries so that we can go back to whatever else we need to work on!
How often should I take a break?
Breaks can be tricky. Often, students and workers can get carried away from breaks and get distracted reading or watching things for too long. I have experienced this before and it definitely can get frustrating. Time managing your breaks is important! Generally, I like to follow the pomodoro rule (25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of break) to get things done. It's also good to just keep in mind to take a break until you feel refreshed or "recharged"!
What are some ideal break-time activities?
Stand up and walk around! It's not for our posture and back when we sit down for too long. A great break-time activity is to stand up and take a walk.
Tidy your study space or your work place.
Drink water and grab a snack.
Take a quick power nap!
Meditate and practice yoga.
Discussion questions:
1) Do you take breaks often and effectively?
2) What do you usually do when you take breaks?
3) What's your favorite time of day and why? (morning, evening, night, etc.)
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@TheAtticusFinch
Wonderful post!
1) Do you take breaks often and effectively?
I do! Although most of my breaks are in the evening.
2) What do you usually do when you take breaks?
I mostly watch TV and eat a snack.
3) What's your favorite time of day and why? (morning, evening, night, etc.)
In the evening because that's when I feel the most relaxed.
@StanDaMan78
Hi Stan, thank you for replying! Having breaks in designated times of the day is an interesting concept and I might experiment with that myself! Watching tv and some nom noms is always fun and I respect it :) Thanks for replying again and have a wonderful week:)
@TheAtticusFinch
I actually suck at this particular idea. I do use the pomodoro technique, but my "breaks" are almost always 2 minutes of Instagram and then back to work. I know scrolling makes me feel more depleted, not less, so I really need to rethink my break approach. I'll set a goal for myself to fix this this week.
@nordurnStar
Hey nordum <3 Hey don't worry, I'm terrible at taking breaks myself and I understand what you're talking about with that scroll. It's important to find other types of breaks to implement as well and I'm glad you're making this a goal to focus on this week. Wishing you the best of luck with it!
1) Do you take breaks often and effectively?
I try to! Sometimes I do, but other times I either burn myself out or take too long of a break.
2) What do you usually do when you take breaks?
During my breaks I usually wind down, maybe watch something or read.
3) What's your favourite time of day and why? (morning, evening, night, etc.)
My favourite time of the day is probably the morning because it is usually the most productive for me.
@TheGoodFairy
Hi Fairy, thanks for replying! I burn myself out too often so I understand where you're coming from there. It's important to remember that there's a balance between the two radical ends of burning out and taking too long of a break and I hope you're able to find that balance soon! I do the same winding down activities and this week I'm going to try to do yoga during my breaks as well. Early mornings are definitely a favorite of mine as well because of how peaceful and productive they can be. :) Take care!
1) Do you take breaks often and effectively? - I try to. I also follow the "work for 25 take a 5 min Break" It seems to work the best for me.
2) What do you usually do when you take breaks? - I make sure to get up and take a short walk, drink some water and sometimes just shake. Shake all the stress away lol.
3) What's your favorite time of day and why? - I love the early morning between 4 and 5 am. I like being up before the world wakes up. I find it calming and magical.
Thank you for this read. It was a good reminder to have.
@Goldcherry2113
Hi Cherry! I'm glad you also follow the pomodoro rule and I'm glad to hear that it works out well for you. It works okay for me as well! Yes for sure, we do the same things for break hahaha. Wait lmao this is hilarious because these are all my answers as well (I get up at 5AM daily just to enjoy the peace and quiet too! Thanks for responding and have a great day "twin"!
@TheAtticusFinch
1) Do you take breaks often and effectively?
Yes, I do take breaks.
2) What do you usually do when you take breaks?
I watch videos or just sit straight.
3) What's your favorite time of day and why? (morning, evening, night, etc.)
My favourite part of the day is morning because that's when I feel very energetic and determined.
@wonderousMoon5570
Hey Moon! Thanks for replying and I hope you're having a great day :) I'm glad you take breaks and just sitting straight sometimes is a good way to spend your break! And watching videos is something I do in my break! I go through some social media videos or watch a quick YouTube video hahaha.. I love the mornings too because I feel the same way :) Take care