14 Feb Stop Killing Yourself At Work – Take A Break

Beware the Lurking Dangers of Not Taking Proper Breaks

Written by Daniela Cavalletti

Hello, welcome back! Here you are: fresh from a relaxing break over Christmas (so very deliciously long in Australia), your annual leave or a weekend staycation.

Aaah, you look and feel so relaxed! So ready to take on the world. Well, at least for a day or five. Then you realise how badly the emails have piled up, nobody’s been covering for you while you were way, and you feel very much behind the eight ball.

I had a fabulous time camping in the Australian wilderness and roaming the rugged mountains of New Zealand’s South Island last month. Hardly any reception on my phone, and work and technology took a well-earned backseat. Bliss! … But barely back, my diary filled with catch-up appointments and my inbox started to get flooded. So it was ‘head down, arse up’ to catch up with everything.

And before you I knew it, bad habits and fatigue set in.

Don’t Get Stuck in The Too Busy to Rest Trap 

Whether it’s you or me, it’s always hectic getting back to work, and we may be gasping for a a bit of a break each day. Physically and mentally. But, unfortunately, our brain has other plans. We’re wired, we’re tired – and too bloody exhausted to even contemplate a rest.

The paradox of being ‘too-tired-to-rest’ is one we all fall into, especially at the end of a long day of slog. Mostly, our ability to truly switch off is hinged on our reserves of willpower. So switching off actually takes effort and energy.

Ego depletion theory explains why we often fail so utterly at effectively changing our behaviour when we feel over-worked. Willpower is a resource that is used up through effortful acts, leaving us depleted and open to temptation (or plain laziness).

Ever felt too tired to move off the couch and go to bed? Blame ego depletion or, another culprit, bedtime procrastination. It’s you not going to bed at the intended time, with nothing really preventing you to do so. This will mean less sleep – and less energy tomorrow. Hello, vicious cycle.

How to Get a Good Rest

As busy, overwhelmed and overloaded people how can we then escape the traps of exhaustion and fit in regular breaks that truly benefit us? What can we do when the pressure is on and we don’t seem to have the time to take a break, though we badly need one?

To avoid paying a high price later for not looking after yourself now, do work these simple steps into your routine. Your body and mind will thank you (and so will your colleagues, family and friends, trust me on that one).

1. Step: Get Off That Damn Smartphone

Not so smart – the smartphone breaks …  I’m as guilty as the next person of having a ‘quick break’ stepping away from the desk or lounging on the couch in the evening, checking my phone, reading the latest news or social media posts. The bad news is – it’s not a true break but may raise our levels of anxiety due to fear of missing out (‘FOMO’) and too many choices and distractions. Reading on your phone loads up your brain. And so you might as well have continued working …

So be smart – and chat to a person instead. Chinwag with a friend or colleague about something you’re passionate about – or nothing in particular. Just don’t make it work stuff or your tax bill.

2. Step: Breaks Are Better Early + Often

Just like your car regularly needs fuel to run and your phone needs recharging ever so often, you, too, need boosts of energy. You need food, movement and mental rests. Not just at the end of the day, but throughout the hours you’re at work: to function properly and not let exhaustion get on top of you.

Schedule regular 10 to 30 minute breaks into your calendar and treat them like a client meeting. Set a timer for a period that you work intensely – and then stretch or walk around the office for five minutes. Meditate. Lock yourself in the bathroom. Whatever works for you to switch gear, do it. Just ensure that you start before lunch – not when you hit the dreaded afternoon slump.

3. Step: Get Outta Here!

Don’t sit on it – move it! Your chair is trying to murder you, so time to get your own back. Whether you’re vegging in front of the TV or slouch our way through the day in your office chair, car or commute: beware! You’re part of a species, that is sitting itself to death.

There are many opinions and studies that advocate varying exercises, move-sit ratios and solution, and it can be bewildering. But while there is not one absolute antidote to death-by-sitting yet, I guarantee you that if you get up and move more than you do right now, you will be fitter, healthier and more productive.

Take Good Care of Yourself

Give it a go. Instead of grabbing your phone for a ‘break’, walk around the block (you might even get the rejuvenating benefits of nature while you’re at it). Take the bus or train to work, not your car. Swap the telly for the treadmill for half an hour.

Whatever you do – just get the hell out.

I’ll see you there.