Taking your breaks when you are at work is essential, as it helps you refuel and gives you the energy to finish the last leg of your shift or your 9-5. If you haven’t already read about how to stop burn out before it stops you, you want to do that first to ensure that you have your overall strategy on your stress and burnout management. Taking breaks is one of the key topics I talk about a lot with my mentees and in this post, I have put together twenty-five things that re-calibrate you, not linked to your work in your 30-minute break.

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1. Go for a short run. Get some exercise and enjoy yourself in the process.

2. Start a gratitude journal. You can also buy your gratitude journal under £10. 

3. Take the time to look at your goals and map out a way to reach them on paper. You can download my career goal planner for professionals.

4. Enjoy some time cultivating your relationships with friends or family. Make a few 5-minute calls.

5. Spend one of your breaks on your preferred social media site to catch up with friends that are not close by, or you can network and make new links with other professionals online. 

6. Daydream Daydreaming isn’t wasted time if you’re enjoying yourself! After all, it’s your 30-minute break!

7. Take care of an errand. You might save yourself added stress later if you take care of a chore such as paying a bill or buying something online you need for the house or the kids during your half-hour break.

8. Research some ideas for a project you want to do or a change you want to make yourself or at home. Take at least one step in your new direction.

9. Listen to your favourite genre of music and relax to some tunes. You can try three months free, uninterrupted music and podcasts on Amazon music unlimited.

10. Enjoy a free game on your phone or TV if you are working from home. 

11. Budget your time and plan the rest of your day. You can download my simple time management tool, and you can stick in your gratitude journal.

12. Go outside for a walk and appreciate nature.

13. Have a short 15 min intense exercise session if you are working from home. There are exercises you can do without needing to go to the gym. Jumping jacks, pushups, and sit-ups can get you started. 

14. Take a 20-minute power nap if you are feeling a bit exhausted. This may not be appropriate if you are working in a ward. Depending on the country you work in, it may not be in your work policy for you to go off to the staff area for a nap. Researchers in sleep say they’re a great form of self-care. Don’t forget to put an alarm clock on if you are able to do this! If you are working at home, you may have more flexibility to take a nap on your break.

15. Have a 10-15-minute meditation session then fill the other time with one of the other suggestions. If you work in the NHS you can access free mindfulness and meditation tools and resources here at UNMIND or HEADSPACE

16. Escape with one of your favourite TV shows. You can find some great short films up to 15-20 mins on Amazon Prime Video for 30 days free or Netflix.

17. Try something new and learn a new language on your break. Begin your 2021 with three months at $11.99 at Rosetta and Stone Languages.

18. Make a “bucket list.” Create a list of things you’d like to do soon and one for a longer-term goal.

19. Review your finances. Make a new budget or revise the one you currently have. 
Investigate ways to pare down your expenses so that you have more money to save or to put toward that holiday you want to have when things go back to some sort of normal. 

20. Read a book. Maybe there’s a new book out from your favourite author. Or you could re-read one of your old favourites. You can sign up on Kindle for a 30-day free trial or if you prefer to listen to your books sign up on Audible for a 30-day free trial.

21. Organize a drawer, shelf, or your bathroom vanity if you are working at home.

22. Start to learn a new skill or hobby. Like crocheting, knitting or painting

23. Take a 15-minute soak in the bath tub. It’s a great choice if you’re feeling incredibly stressed out. Add relaxing aromatherapy oils. This is suitable if you are working from home. Don’t forget to put your alarm clock on!

24. Fold your laundry if you are working at home. This can be relaxing because you don’t need to think too much about doing the task.

25. Check your latest bank statement to see if everything on there is what you have purchased. Many people don’t have time to check their bank statements and may have small fraudulent purchases that go unseen until months or years later.

You can switch off for 30 minutes from your work in so many ways. In just this short period, you can enrich your life, reduce stress, renew your mindset and re-engage your work with a different perspective!