The Importance of Taking Breaks: How to Avoid Burnout
Take breaks to continue doing what matters the most instead of cribbing about life's struggles.
The holiday period…
The holiday period has just ended in the whole world. Still, this is the best time to write this blog.
In today’s fast-paced world, we’re often encouraged to push ourselves to our limits, to work harder and longer, and to always be “ON”. But this constant pressure can lead to burnout and physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion.
Burnout is a serious condition that can have a negative impact on our health, relationships, and overall well-being. It’s important to recognize the signs of burnout and to take steps to prevent it. One of the best ways to prevent burnout is to take regular breaks.
My reasoning for taking breaks…
I am an engineer working full-time in a bit of a flexible job. I enjoy my job a lot, and I am very satisfied with it. But there are certain times when I feel passionate about other stuff as well in life.
These other pieces of stuff are the reasons why you need to take a break. To take your mind away from your regular work. To show you possibilities of life other than the routine itself. Talking with experience, a break opens your mind, and it is soooo good for your mental health.
Taking breaks gives our minds and bodies a chance to rest and recharge. It allows us to step back from our work, clear our minds, and gain a fresh perspective. Breaks can also help to increase productivity and creativity, as well as to improve our overall well-being.
For some, the break could be relaxing at home, playing games, exploring more destinations, getting to know more cuisines, or doing adventure activities. It could be anything that breaks your routine to boost you with better health choices.
If you ask me, I usually get burned out in three months if I work continuously. I take a day off in between the main breaks to continue my peace and productivity together for months to follow. But then every 4–5 months, we go on a holiday. It could be small or big, depending on the budget and the number of holidays we could get.
Once a year, go somewhere you have never been before — Dalai Lama
My experience with planned and unplanned breaks…
If I tell you more about my day, it is like office work (that continuously requires me to upskill myself), then mum fun(which takes a lot of physical and mental energy), with a lot of planning and maintaining calendar and tasks and a lot of girl mind anxiety/thoughts/guilts/regrets. If you are a female, you will get it, otherwise, if you have tried to look in a female mind, this is like a mesh of so many thoughts.
After a break, one month passes easily, with laughter and a lot of energy to deal with any challenge in life. But then, by the second month's end, burnout starts as we get more challenges and no energy. And before I know it, things start to get jumbled up. My work-life balance starts to fade.
I have many examples if you ask me what kind of challenges come.
- One of which is if kids get sick during work days, then all the planning goes to dump, and the priority shifts and plays up and down just like in see-saw.
- If your washing machine breaks and you end up with a hell big pile of clothes. Imagine finding that extra time, that goes my me relaxing time and burnout time starts.
- The arrival of unexpected guests who are planning to stay for more than a week. There goes my TV time, and it requires more time to cook and do chores.
Life throws so many unexpected challenges that no planning could work then. And usually, we end up solving those challenges during our relaxation time. But if we get that much-needed self-time as a break in every few months, everything works out magically.
I have not taken any holiday for the last four months due to my job change and learning period. I did take a couple of holidays since I was under the weather, which required bed rest. That definitely helped me to continue without taking a break. And I had de-prioritised my night hustles as I needed more time to relax my mind with the new job’s learnings. Now, after 15 days of the new year break, I am back in action and so motivated to complete the work.
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.— World Health Organization (WHO)
How can one take a break???
Taking breaks can be challenging, especially when we feel like there’s so much to do and we have deadlines and responsibilities to meet. Especially in a business where the break doesn’t come with a salary. But if we have to avoid burnout, here are some tips for taking regular breaks:
- Schedule breaks: Plan to take regular breaks, like a much-needed day off in a month or even a few hours, to pamper yourself. Schedule them into your calendar. If you want smaller breaks, schedule a couple of hours to yourself in a week.
- Step away from your work: When you take a break, make sure to step away from your work. That includes not checking the messages or emails on mobile as well.
- Engage in a different activity: This could be anything from going for a walk, reading a book, listening to music, getting a spa or doing a quick workout. The key is to do something you enjoy, which helps you relax and clear your mind.
- Disconnect: During your breaks, make sure to disconnect from technology and social media. This will help you avoid distractions and focus on the present moment. And we don’t want to waste these much-wanted hours to spend on memes or reels.
- Prioritize self-care: Make sure to include self-care activities in your breaks. This can include things like yoga, meditation, or a relaxing bath. These activities will help you to relax and recharge both physically and mentally.
- Take a vacation: Taking a vacation is an important way to prevent burnout. It allows you to step away from work and spend time with family and friends. Make sure to plan a vacation that will allow you to relax and recharge.
- Learn to say no: One of the most important things you can do to prevent burnout is to learn to say no. When you take on too much, it can lead to burnout. Make sure to prioritize your time and say no to commitments that are not important.
It’s important to note that taking breaks doesn’t mean you’re lazy or not committed to your work. In fact, it can actually improve your productivity and creativity in the long run. When you take breaks, you allow your mind and body to rest and recharge, leading to increased focus and motivation when you return to work.
Summary…
In summary, taking regular breaks is an important aspect of preventing burnout. By taking breaks, practicing self-care, disconnecting from technology, setting boundaries, and learning to let go of perfectionism, you can improve your overall well-being, increase your productivity and creativity, and prevent burnout.
If you want to take away something from this blog, plan a break that gives you a new experience and a feeling of a fresh start.
Happy reading and progressing… :)