Rowan Aderyn

Because life is short, follow the Happy Path for more tips and inspiration to live your happiest live.

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Rest and recovery is essential to all of us. If we don’t take care of ourselves then we run the risk of burn out.

What’s is burn out?

Burn out can cause physical and emotional exhaustion as a result of a prolonged period of physical, emotional and mental stress. It is not a medical diagnosis but can cause exhaustion, isolation, irritability and frequent illness.

How do I avoid burn out?

To avoid burn out it is recommended that we take…

One Macro Break a month.

A macro break should involve taking a day to relax and disconnect from your usual stresses. You might go for a walk in nature, visit somewhere new or take a holiday.

One Messo break a week.

A messo break should involve a 2-3 hours a week where you relax. Perhaps enjoy a hobby, take a hot bath, spend some time writing. What ever helps you truly relax.

Multiple Micro Breaks a Day.

Multiple Micro breaks throughout the day might include. Enjoying a quiet cup of tea, taking a short walk, doing some stretches or meditation, even spending those couple of extra minutes in a shower enjoying the water wash over you.

Top tips for making sure you are getting enough downtime.

• Ask yourself when did I last have a macro or messo break? Sometimes the first step is acknowledging how good you are at prioritising this time.
• Schedule it into your day, week, month. It is harder to say no to doing something planned than saying yes to doing nothing planned.
• Understand how important these breaks are for your health, well-being and performance. Do more research, measure your own performance when you make time for breaks.
• Create some immovable rocks. Plan a walk in nature with a friend, go to a writers group. If you are under a lot of pressure in work it is easier to deprioritise things that are just for you. Find a reason you have to commit to taking a break.