How can you take a brain break?

In our busy lives it’s hard to find the time to take the breaks we need to restore our minds and our bodies, but if we want to function at our best it’s time we put some real value on break time.  At Inspired to Change we’ve pulled together our Top Tips for Taking a Brain Break to help you incorporate breaks into your life.

Tip 1 – Do Lunch

Make sure you take a lunch break, even if you have to schedule it into your diary. Just five minutes outside can refresh you especially if you get the chance to be near trees or nature.

Tip 2 – Be Mindful

Take a break from your thoughts by practicing some mindfulness. The great thing about mindfulness is you don’t need a long time – just a few minutes to focus on one particular activity is all you need.  If you’re struggling to find the time then choose an activity you need to do anyway. Why not mindfully brush your teeth, really focus on each tooth as you brush it, or take a mindful shower, really focusing on the feel of the water.  If you have longer why not take a mindful walk in nature or your garden, really focusing on what you are seeing, noticing the seasonal changes – it’s a great way to start the day and really clears your mind.

Tip 3 – Take a Technology break

Turn your phone off, leave your tablet behind and just enjoy doing what you are doing without interruption. Find a regular time in your day to do this, even if it’s just for 30 minutes and notice how much easier it is to focus without the constant notifications intruding into your mind.

Tip 4 – Plan something

Having something in the diary to look forward to is great, not only do you get the benefit of the break you have planned in but you also get the benefit of looking forward to it!  Actively looking forward to things helps to boost levels of our feel good hormone serotonin, which boosts our brains ability to think faster and problem solve.

Tip 5 – Don’t plan anything!

I know, I just told you to plan something but you can find time to do both!  Try having a day with no plans at all.  We are so busy doing all the things on our lists that we often forget to just be.  I read somewhere recently that “we are human beings, not human doings”, and we need to spend more time just being, whether that’s a lazy Sunday morning in our PJ’s, taking a cup of tea outside to sit in the garden rather than rushing back to the lap top, or booking yourself on to a relaxation retreat. Just Be You!

Tip 6 – Go on Holiday

Nothing beats a full on holiday away from your normal routine.  When you are away from your home environment you can’t just nip out to mow the lawn, or put another wash on, or just do that pile of ironing whilst you’re watching TV.  It’s so much easier to relax properly and switch off from the unimportant day to day stuff when you can’t be tempted by it.

Tip 7 – Try something different

A change is as good as a rest!  Doing something different, or doing something you normally do in a different way fires up new connections in your brain and releases an extra shot of our feel good hormone serotonin which is why it makes us feel so good.  Try taking a different route on your daily walk or commute, try cooking a new recipe or using a new ingredient, take up a new hobby, whatever floats your boat!

Tip 8 – Keep it small

Lots of little breaks across the day stop that feeling of overwhelm building.  5 minutes here and there makes a big difference to how you are feeling and your productivity.  So have a proper tea break rather than making a cup of tea and taking it back to your desk, let the kettle boil without doing something else at the same time (like checking your emails!). Find 5 – 10 minutes a few times a day where you are taking a break, rather than filling your time with that endless to-do list – cuddle the cats, play with the dog, walk round the garden, feed the birds, find something that doesn’t require an output, something you can just enjoy for what it is, and use that as your “go-to” regular break.

If you’d like to find out how hypnotherapy could help you overcome overwhelm and prioritise time for you, get in touch with one of our Inspired to Change hypnotherapists and book your FREE initial consultation.

Inspired to Change Hypnotherapists are all recognised by the National Council for Hypnotherapy, the UK’s leading not-for-profit hypnotherapy professional association.

Find out how you can train as a solution focused hypnotherapist with CPHT.