Breaking Your Way To Success

United States, 2021.

We are already well into summer, when many people take a break from work. They may do so because their children are out of school and it is the only time they can schedule a family vacation. Others take a break during the summer out of habit, while for psychologists taking August off has become a tradition.

I’ve written in a previous blog post about how taking a break during the day can be an important element in avoiding burnout. But taking a more extended break, either in the summer or some other time of year, can be equally important, not only to avoid burnout, but also to give you a new perspective, gain new insights, recharge yourself, and stop you from falling into a rut.

Paradoxically, taking a break from work can be a key to being successful at work. When you aren’t consciously engaged with the day-to-day details, and aren’t solving the immediate problems, your unconscious is able to process things, and you often return to work with new ideas and a better understanding of the larger picture.

Paradoxically, taking a break from work can be a key to being successful at work.

Of course, what makes for a “successful” break—when and how often to take a break, and what to do during it—varies widely from person to person. Some people need a break every week, while others need a more extended break at least once a year. Some companies have had success with adapting the academic idea of a sabbatical: a more extended break every few years.

A break for some means spending time with family. It may mean lying on a beach with a good book, or it may mean climbing a mountain. Some people don’t want to have any mental demands on them during their break, while others want to learn a new hobby or take a deep dive into a challenging new subject.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have much control over the breaks they can take. If you do have some input on when you can take a break and what to do during it, I encourage you to figure out what works best for you using introspection and experimentation. 

Think about breaks you have taken in the past. Which did you most enjoy, and which resulted in you returning to work more drained than when you left? Do you enjoy trying something new, or are you happiest doing the same thing every time? Did you like to be alone, or with other people? 

Based on what you learn about yourself through your introspection, come up with a plan for your next break and try it as an experiment. Afterwards, think about how it went. Did you return to work rejuvenated and full of new ideas? Did the break end too soon, or not soon enough? Use the results of your experiment to tweak your plan, until you come up with something that works for you.