Taking a Break: Did You Enjoy the Holidays?

Marvellous Olajide

We oftentimes confuse hard work with overworking. We feel guilty while taking breaks and feel we always need to be working. We also tend to project this on other people and are quick to use the word ‘lazy’ anytime they see others taking a break. However, this is not the case. There needs to be a balance between working and overworking; there should also be a balance between working and not working at all.

As students, we easily get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Our life seemingly follows a fixed daily routine. We have to tend to the demands of our academic schedules, work, our social lives, and other commitments. This is why it is not surprising that many students feel like they are always tired and they need to get away from everything. Well, the good part is that there is a simple hack to not always feel tired and burnt out. Just take a break!

Neglecting to take breaks can have serious consequences for our physical and mental health. Chronic stress, burnout, and decreased productivity are just a few of the negative effects of not taking time to rest and recharge. As students, most times, we find ourselves caught up in lots of responsibilities that include curricular and extracurricular activities; hence we tend to multitask. Multitasking is just a way we manage more than one program or task simultaneously. Multitasking seems to give us a feeling that we have everything in control, but, in the long run, it has its harms.

According to Dr. Emily Chen, a leading expert in occupational health, “Taking regular breaks is essential for maintaining focus, creativity, and overall well-being. When we refuse to take breaks, our brains can become fatigued, leading to decreased productivity and increased errors.” Not taking breaks might have a negative impact on a student’s academic performance as their grades may begin to decline. In other words, by not taking breaks, we may end up sabotaging the main reason why we are in school. In most cases, while we try to juggle all these activities, our performance in all of them will begin to decline.

The unspoken health benefits of taking a break include better productivity and creativity, improved mental and physical health, less stress and more satisfaction, a decrease in burnout, improved memory, better focus, and an energy boost. So, how can we prioritise taking breaks? Here are a few tips:

Schedule breaks into your daily planner or calendar, just as you would any other important task. Prioritise taking breaks. As we divide our tasks into schedules, we should not fail to include taking breaks.

Take short breaks every hour to stretch, move your body, and rest your eyes. Those breaks, although without obvious and immediate benefits, are really good for us in the long run. Prioritise self-care activities, such as meditation, reading, or spending time in nature.

Learn to say “no” to nonessential commitments and prioritise your own needs. You cannot be everywhere at the same time. In addition, delegate tasks when necessary and try to avoid doing everything yourself, especially when you are in a leadership position or in a team.

In conclusion, by incorporating regular breaks into our daily routines, we can improve our productivity, creativity, and overall health and well-being. So, take a deep breath, step away from your desk, and give yourself permission to take a break. Trust me, your body—and mind—will thank you.