Mental break; A Pause In-between the Hassle.

We need to adjust the mindset of caring only for perceptible organs more than non-perceptible ones

When it comes to caring for ourselves, there are many things involved, and many parts of us we usually put into consideration — skin-care, facials, hair care, and body care routine, you name it.

But what we rarely incorporate in our routines is mental break or downtime. A period of time when we pause all that we have going on and offload what we are already filled with thus far.

It’s presumably because, as human beings, we are more inclined to care for things or organs that we can see and feel, than those that we can’t.

We also easily forget, most times, that what we don’t see contributes majorly to the functionality of the organs we see and pay so much attention to. Like our brain and our mind.

When we cater to our brain and mind we are taking care of our mental/psychology network which plays pivotal roles in our day to day living.

The brain provides us with help with the vast majority of activities based on the different parts. In summary, from signaling to sensation to protection. Whereas our mind is there to guide us, intuitively and cognitively.

When you think about it this way, it helps you to really understand what needs to be taken care of the most, and when as well.

Caring for other areas of our body is imperative but we must prioritize what needs to be cared for based on their usage or need than the others.

Taking a break is one of the ways to care for them.

When we take a break, we’re acknowledging that we are human, not machines, and therefore have a limit to the things we can take in and how long for. We understand also that productivity isn’t really about doing too much (busy) but doing what needs to be done and taking a break as and when due (ie. efficiency in result production).

We equally understand that our body and mind can disappoint us if we don’t make intentional appointments to cater to them.

When we indulge in the downtime we must have already understood the meaning of self-care, in totality.

There are two types of breaks; the long break and the short break. Long breaks normally surpass more than a few minutes to hours, getting to weeks even. Whereas short breaks are mostly in the form of tea breaks, short naps and/or any short moment in time you decide to ‘zone’ out of your flow activity.

Long breaks are usually required for the recuperation of strained mental health, or physical health, depending on the case. While short breaks are normally fixed spontaneously and used in-between less tedious activities. Although both intertwine.

Taking a break looks like this;

Taking a light walk out of your office or any confined workspace when the workflow seems unbreakable or the workload seems unending (short break).

Grabbing a cup of tea or coffee or any beverage of choice and relaxing your brain and mind, sitting or lying still for a while (short break).

Breaking in between your tight schedule to call your loved ones; spouse, child, friend, or relative that makes you smile (short break).

It also entails leaving the area as a whole to a new environment to avoid the familiar-environmental nudge to keep working or stressing (long break).

Taking time out to do the things you love to do. Routines or leisure activities that you’ve inculcated over time and set aside for when a break comes calling (short to long break).

When you nap and sleep (short break).

And so many other ways.

Anything that takes your mind and body away from work or overworking, both professionally or personally, is a break.

Taking a break truly means you care for yourself — a lot more than you think.

To create break time, you need to figure out how your work time schedule is like. Then fix a break time in-between.

You have to make it a point of duty in order for you to intentionally create a break time, otherwise, you’ll always be carried away with work time. You have to understand its need to implement one in the first place.

Most times, people want to take a break but they are afraid of creating or taking one. They presume that taking a break impedes workflow. They equate taking a break to being off the radar. Whereas taking a break only energizes us for more when we return back to work. And refreshes our mind and body — filling us with better ideas thus.

To dispel this mentality, we need to understand that work still waits for us but our bodies won’t. And that work or working is dispensable but our brain and mind aren’t. Once, we reach our peak state, the brain only starts to deteriorate than assimilate, and thus efficiency is gravely affected. This beats the entire purpose.

If you are into creativity and have an audience you have to tend to as part of your job or your career, and perhaps you’re afraid of losing them from taking a break, always remember you come first before them. Not in an over self- indulging manner but rather thinking of it as: if you weren’t taking proper care of yourself, you won’t be capable of serving them with your write-ups/stories, songs, arts, or any other talents you might possess.

You must also understand that a true audience waits for you. A true audience cares about your welfare and well-being. And hence, a true audience supports you taking a break.

These are some of the consolatory words I’ve had to say to myself during my just concluded mental downtime period. Not to get overly swayed by what becomes of my craft or what my audience’s attention would be like upon my return now. In lieu of taking care of my mental health and others in the line. In order to keep getting better at the said craft.

Self-care isn’t about only posting numerous online videos or self-indulging essays about skin-care routine, hair care routine, or having a total body spa. It essentially includes caring for your brain and mind as well — the intangible parts of you that are giving rise to and managing these other perceptible parts you tend so much to — almost to their detriment.

The best care routine is overarching of the body, mind, and spirit inclusive, giving each your quota of time and energy by learning to take a break when it’s due.