For any guys hoping to improve their productivity, learning how to give yourself a mental break is an essential lesson.
After all, how can you be expected to work at your best if you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or burnt out? Taking a few hours or so to step back, unwind, relax, and feed your soul won’t only help you reconnect with your body and mind - but you’ll also see your productivity soar in the long run.
If you’d like to learn how to give yourself a mental break, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, we’ve covered 6 simple ways to help you switch off and relax. Find out more below.
Do I Need A Mental Break?
At this point, you might be wondering - how do I know if I need a mental break? Looking inward and deciding that you need a mental break can be a tricky thing to do. After all, many of us don’t like the feeling of letting our co-workers or employers down.
To overcompensate, we’ll often stretch ourselves too thin - which can have a poor impact on our mental stamina and leave us feeling burnt-out, stressed, anxious, and disinterested. Over the long run, this can have a poor impact on our work quality and productivity.
So, rather than ignoring these feelings and ‘toughing it out’, one of the best things you can do is take action when you recognise these triggers - and take a mental break.
How To Give Yourself A Mental Break
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into the nitty gritty. Learn how to give yourself a mental break with these 6 basic tips below.
One of the most important things to remember when taking a mental break is to avoid those self-critical thoughts.
It’s easy to get frustrated with yourself when you aren’t getting your work done or if you can’t meet benchmarks. Though, unproductive, critical thoughts aren’t going to change the situation.
The best thing you could do is to self-reflect and figure out why this is happening. It could be that you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, or are facing some large hurdles. You’ll likely conclude that you’re overdue for a mental break and need some time to relax and recharge.
Once you’ve decided to give yourself a mental break, the first thing you should try doing is disconnecting from your screens.
This includes your phone, tablet, computer - anything that will distract your mind and pull you away from the present.
Turning off these devices will help you to reconnect with your immediate surroundings, and give your mind the freedom to reflect and unwind - which can be marvelous for productivity in the long run.
Another great way to ease the stress and anxiety of work is to escape into nature. Going on a hike amongst beautiful scenery is a great way to promote relaxation and positive thinking, while also reconnecting with your body.
Especially if you live in a busy metropolis, consider taking some time for yourself on the weekend to explore the surrounding landscapes. It’ll be a nice reminder that your world is a lot bigger than your office.
Completing the same task day after day can be quite draining and numbing to the mind. If you’re beginning to feel burnt out, it might be a sign for you to take a step back and try something new.
Reconnect with old hobbies that used to spark joy and passion, or consider learning something new altogether. Pick up an instrument, take a cooking class, head out into the garden, or start a DIY project.
Engaging with your hobbies can be a great way to break out of your routine and feed creativity.
Exercising and getting the blood pumping is another great way to burn off any stress and nourish your body.
Whether it’s by going for a run, swimming a few laps, or hitting the gym - taking some time to work on yourself isn’t only productive for your health, but it will also help to promote relaxation and a good night's sleep.
Sometimes, a mental break could just be a simple nap. Especially if you struggle sleeping at night, consider taking a bit of time off to catch up on your Z’s.
Regular, quality sleep is an essential element of general health and well-being. So, when we aren’t getting enough, our mental state can suffer - triggering feelings of frustration, stress, and anxiety.
So, if you feel like your problem-solving, memory, or decision-making is suffering - it might be a sign that you need to focus on your sleep.