A Brain Break, Not A Coffee Break

It’s been nuts at work. I’ve had too many things on my platter and not enough time to get them all done, which affects my productivity. I’ve also worked every day for almost a month and I know I need a break so I put in some extra hours for a couple days with the goal of taking a day off. When I say I’m taking a day off, I mean it. No talk about work, no driving by the office ‘just in case’ and no dropping in just to check on things. Also, a day off for me does not mean sleeping in or napping all day on the couch. A day off for me also does not mean jamming as many chores from the ‘Honey Do’ list into the available daylight hours. For me a day off means a brain break. Sweet Roast and I call them play days and because they seem to be few and far between, we look forward to them when they happen. So we had our play day which included packing a lunch and a short drive on one of the local roads with many stops to take photos. We saw eagles, newborn calves, frozen rivers and snowy landscapes – all of which became subjects for photos. It became a relaxing afternoon without cell phones, answering machines, deadlines, demands, expectations and schedules. We were able to clear our heads and just have some fun. We ended up eating our lunch on the side of the road in a newly developed subdivision in the next closest town to where we live. It was too cold to eat outside, so we sat in the car and enjoyed the view. Why is a brain break so important to me? It allows me to shut off the work part of my mind so I can put my mind on something other than work. We try to fit in at least one play day per season and usually go down the same road. Sometimes it takes us hours to just get 30-kilometres away from home. There’s so much to see and do when you slow down and look around. And that’s why I find brain breaks so important to me. It gives me a chance to slow down and get away from the stresses of work. It’s a very important component of my mental health and usually after a play day I’m energized and blasting off at full speed until the next one. Add a brain break to your routine. You’ll be glad you did!

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