I hope you had a restful Easter break and found a little time to pause, recharge, and step away from your everyday busyness.
I know these 4 Day weeks can throw us out of sync but as you ease back into planning your week, it’s a good time to reflect on something that often gets overlooked when you want to be more productive, downtime and the benefit of breaks.
Taking breaks isn’t about slacking off—it’s about being able to maintain your energy, focus, and clarity so you can work smarter, not longer. Taking more regular breaks and downtime will actually increase your productivity, not derail it.
Why Downtime Works
When you’re constantly on the go, your brain never gets a chance to rest and you end up:
- Losing focus
- Making it harder to make decisions
- Increase stress
- Burnt out
Build in more frequent breaks and you'll be able to:
- Gain clarity and stay
focused for longer
- Organise your thoughts, make decisions and solve problems more creatively
- Keep your energy levels up and stay motivated throughout the day
Simple Strategies for More Effective
Downtime
You don’t need to take a full week off to feel the benefits, find time for mini-breaks throughout your day:
🍅 The Pomodoro 25/5 Technique
Work in cycles of 25-minutes, followed by a 5-minute break, to stay focused. After 4 cycles of 25/5, take a longer 30-60 minute pause.
☕ Mini Moments of Pause
After completing a task, get up, stretch, take a few deep breaths, get a
drink of water or make a cuppa. Not only does it stop you getting aches and pains from sitting for too long but you'll reset mentally.
⌛ Make Time for Breaks
Treat your breaks as planned time. Schedule time for reading, step outside for a few minutes, go
for a walk or simply do nothing. It matters.
💤 Prioritise Your Sleep and Plan Non-Screen Evenings
Sleep is the ultimate break in our day and so many of us are sleep deprived. Either with bad sleep patterns, working too late or spending too much of our
time glued to a screen. Read a book instead or listen to music instead of scrolling through social media. Plan one evening a week without any screen time.
Rest is productive! Don't feel guilty about taking a break. You don't need to earn it or explain it. Taking time out helps you show up better for everything
else.
After Easter, you might be feeling more refreshed, don't get sucked back into a busy week. Use the power of a pause as you plan ahead and build space to breathe each day.
