Know When and How to Take a Break

Running an online business sometimes nukes the peace out of your brain. You may get stuck in loops of thoughts about things that don’t matter. You see, we all have a tendency to get into a zone where our brains become non-functional. There are words for it, such as “burnout.” Everything stops working, and you may even need to dial the doctor’s number.

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That is a clear indication that you need a break. Knowing when to reset is the first step. Knowing the reset buttons is the next one. The time spent on recharging can benefit you both physically and mentally. It can also be recovered, as you will spring back to work energized. 

4 Tips for Taking a Break 

If you found yourself nodding to what we just said, it may be time for you to hit “Pause.” Here’s how we, at Pepper, recharge, and so can you.

1. Take it slow 

The brain has two main modes, i.e., input and output. Sometimes we only feed inputs into our minds and take zero action to let things out. An example includes watching Ted talks for hours and not implementing what you learned. 

You may often try to multitask. You could be out on lunch with someone, but end up looking at your phone throughout. The whole purpose of the outing is destroyed in that moment.

Instead, the key is to feel alive within the moment. Go for walks without music, eat with your hands, meet people face-to-face, etc. The more you let your brain use fewer modes, the more refreshed it feels.

2. Declutter your mind

We overthink because we try to make sense of our endless thoughts. Personally, we’ve found writing to be an excellent way of dealing with such thoughts.

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Writing is born out of all the thinking we do. So it helps if you can shift your focus to what’s really important. The best part about decluttering your mind is that your readers may benefit from it. What we mean by that is, if you share your lived experience with your readers, not only will you find an outlet for your thoughts, but they might also resonate with your content. 

​​3. Try physical exercise 

There is a ton of research about the benefits of exercise in recharging your brain. Exercising is a good way to let the unnecessary, negative thoughts seep out of your brain. Reserving a few minutes every day to work out will help you get more in touch with your body and mind. 

4. Do nothing

You may often be boarding the comparison train and start feeling behind in life. It stems from a lack of love for yourself. Stop trying to climb the ladders of success defined by society or anyone else. It’s like we are all in a perpetual race to bag that client, that job, that dream car. In doing so, we miss the best of whatever this world or our loved ones have to offer.

You can tap into that feeling by really relaxing your mind and practicing mindfulness. Periodically, tell yourself it is okay to not do anything. After all, productivity is not measured simply by the hours of work you put in.  

Taking a break is highly imperative because creativity can’t be where exhaustion is. So take a step back. Relax, sleep, and spend time with yourself. Do what you want or simply do nothing: but don’t forget to pause, reflect, and rejuvenate.