ShareWhew! I’m back after an extended blogging break! One thing I found interesting about this break was that for the first couple of weeks, my mind was blank. It was just a sagging sack of boringness. I had no ideas, no spark. I think I went into deep freeze. But for the past several days, I’ve been abuzz with ideas. All kinds of things to do and write about, and I am so grateful that I endured the brain blahs to get to this point. All that reminded me that I shouldn’t wait until burnout to take a break, and that there is a reason God commanded us to Sabbath (not when we burnout, but every single week!) So in case you need a reason to take a break, here’s five of ‘em:
#1 It’s good for your mind
Every brain needs a break. Mindless activities like walking, housework, etc. give your brain some time to breathe. Sometimes you don’t need to work harder to solve a problem…you need to forget about it for a while. Better yet, purposefully force your mind off the challenge and remind yourself of something else, like why you love your family or 10 things you are grateful for. You may be surprised to find when you return to that challenge, you will have a different (and better!) solution.
#2 It’s good for your body
Studies show that even just standing up for two minutes for every 20 minutes you spend at your desk is enough to keep your body from going into straight up couch-potato state. (Read more here) So get up! Walk around! Do some deep knee bends or shake it up for a minute. You’ll feel stupid–but you’ll feel better, and your butt thanks you for getting off it.
#3 It’s good for your spirit
Two things I love about kids: they laugh and they play. And that’s what makes them so fun to be around. Two things I love about puppies: they wag their tails and they play. Also fun to be around. You know what’s not fun to be around? Spreadsheets. Emails. Folders on your desktop. So make sure you take some time to play today, because that playful spark might just be leading to your next great idea.
#4 It’s good for your personality
See #3. Spreadsheets and emails have no personality. They are necessary and helpful but they aren’t lively. Boring people create boring ideas.
#5 It’s good for the ones you love
Your family will thank you for disconnecting. It’s one thing to “unplug” from your electronics for an evening. It’s another to discipline your mind to actually disconnect from work and obligations. Many of us stay plugged in even away from our phones. So turn your phone OFF and then surprise your family by striking up a game of hide and seek, or breaking out the cards, or going for a walk around the block. They may find themselves remembering how much they actually love you. 
What’s the best way that you take a break?
#5
