If you’ve ever gone to the gym and followed a plan, you’re surely familiar with the concept of “rest” in exercise. Rest during a workout is required to make sure your muscles have the resources for performing their best during each set, thus getting maximum results. But for some reason when it comes to our minds, despite the fact that they are constantly working, we very rarely allow for a rest period.
The problem is that in our over-connected age, we are treating our minds more like machines than the complex bodily organs that they are. And like other organs, our brain has certain requirements to function properly. Everyone knows that it needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrition, like glucose. But research also show that rest during the day is more than just beneficial, it is required for a well-functioning brain.
Unfortunately, recent studies suggest that young Americans are getting less mental downtime than ever. Especially highly creative and high-performing people — who are more likely to over-stack their schedules socially and take on more extracurricular activities outside of work. If this sounds like you, adding regular mental breaks throughout the day will help you be more productive than you thought possible.
I personally like the 50/10 rule for work when it’s possible. This is a widely used concept for both work and study, where you “sprint” on a task for 50 minutes and then give yourself a break for 10 minutes. Because our attention spans are constantly under siege, being able to focus for short amounts of time and giving yourself a break to come back at strength is a great strategy for success.
Whether or not you go by this exact method, aiming to give yourself 10 minutes of brain rest as often as reasonably possible throughout the day will do wonders. Starting any new practice and making it stick can be difficult, even when the practice is simply taking a break. Here are a few suggestions for easy ways to give your mind some room to breathe.
PUT DOWN THE PHONE
This may seem simple, but when people have even a small amount of free time the first thing they commonly do is reach for their phones. This is a huge mistake. The point of taking this time is to give you brain rest, and when you pick up your device the opposite is happening. Sure, there may be a video game you like or a video you want to watch, but there are also texts, social media posts, and likely work emails on that same phone.
Simply putting down the phone isn’t good enough either. Leave it on silent to cancel any unexpected distractions that may come during your downtime. I personally keep my phone on silent throughout the day so that I can stay on task without pings and dings distracting during productive sessions. Of course, if you have certain numbers or apps (like Slack) that need to get through, it is easy to set that up in your ringer settings.
DO A BODY SCAN
Despite what you might assume, doing a body scan has nothing to do with technology. This is a body scan to help you reconnect with your physical self. This can be done anywhere, from at your desk to outside on a bench in the park. Fight the inclination to use your hands to feel the parts of your body that are mentioned here. Much like our brains, our hands are overworked due the need for constant typing into our phones and computers.
How To Body Scan:
- Become aware of the top of your head and any sensations that may be there. Do you feel a breeze?
- Go from the top of your head downwards, relaxing every muscle on the way down to your chest.
- Relax your ears.
- Let your eyelids fall.
- Relax your cheeks.
- Relax your jaw.
- Relax your shoulders.
- Once you get to your chest, take a deep breath.
- Keep continuing downward relaxing your body as you go.
- Relax your belly.
- Relax your thighs.
- Relax your calves.
- Relax your feet.
- Feel the bottoms of your feet on the floor.
CREATE A SANCTUARY SPACE
One of the reasons it might be difficult for you to give your mind a break is that you spend time at places where your mind is traditionally not on a break. Some people may be able to compartmentalize their experiences at the desk or on the couch. If you are used to looking at screens or turning on streams where you are sitting, this might not be the best place for you to find your zen.
If you need extra help bringing yourself down, try to build the sanctuary. There isn’t a lot of space required to make a cozy nook for you to find peace. Find a corner where you can put a nice floor pillow to sit on. I personally am a fan of the pillows from Avocado and Degrees of Comfort. Pair that with a nice candle from Keystone Inspired or splurge for a Le Labo for a true atmospheric adjustment.
COMPLETE A PURPOSEFUL TASK
Giving your mind a break doesn’t mean you have to sit around and do nothing for 10 minutes. The same peace of mind, or even better, can be accomplished if you tackle a focused task with no distractions. There is an additional benefit if you find something that is productive either for you or those you care about. Perhaps there is some work that you can do on the lawn outside? Perhaps you like to paint and want to do a portrait of someone you love?
Personally, I like to get grounds from my favorite coffee shop and prepare my pour-over coffee for the day. There is a lot of peace that comes with pouring water over the grounds and watching it slowly drip. I am engaged throughout this, and it usually takes me around 10 minutes to complete. In the process, I have done something tactile that is also useful for me throughout the week.
TAKE A WANDERING WALK
By a wandering walk, I don’t just mean a walk with no set destination. I also mean a walk where you allow your mind to wander. If you are able to get outside, there are many studies that show the benefit that fresh air and sunlight can do for your psyche. So if you are able to take this walk outside, that is going to be an extra boost for your brain.
Letting your mind wander is one of the best ways to give your brain space to recover and repair. Because we are thinking so much for our work and personal lives, with constant distractions like movies or music we don’t have the time to process information or emotions properly. Once you are outside, try picturing your problems or bothersome thoughts like balloons and once your done processing them, you can let them float up into the sky.
Once you feel the change in your mood and mind after 10 minutes of zen, it won’t be so difficult to keep up with the practice.