Ever had one of those days where you wake up and just know you will be moving from the time you push the covers back to the moment you pull them back up at night.
Then you think, “Take a break? Self care? You must be joking! I don’t have time for that.”
Does the feeling of not have time for a self-care routine sound familiar? It does to me. I’ve written about it here but still there are days it is quite hard to find the time or the “excuse” to take care of me.
But I’m here to tell you from experience that even on the craziest of days, you will have time to fit in at least one 5-10 minute break.
Today we are going to look at ways to add to your Take-A-Break Kit for the days it feels way too busy and you don’t think you can stop.
4 Take-A-Break Ideas
1)Tea Break:
Not just throwing a tea bag into a mug and calling it good. I mean taking a couple of minutes to steep some loose leaf tea, it feels like a mini luxury.
This summer my sister introduced me to the joy of loose leaf tea. When she came to Oregon to help take care of our Mother she brought a dizzying array of lovely smelling and tasting loose leaf tea. What fun it was to have such an amazing collection to select from.
The ritual of making tea and slowing down for a few minutes is deeply ingrained into many cultures. The British have High Tea and the Japanese have entire ceremonies around brewing and drinking tea. (Kind of fascinating… you can read more here.) I think it is time we incorporate a ritual like this into our daily routines too.
For loose leaf tea I highly recommend Steeped Tea. I’m a fruity tea fan and Strawberry Surprise is one of my favorites.
2) Journaling:
What is there not to love about a journal with great paper, your favorite pen and a time to sit and write for hours.
Well sure the idea is lovely but not many of us have the opportunity to sit for hours and just write. I don’t think I would even be able to sit still that long! You might be surprised however at how much you can write in just 5 minutes.
Just remember, keep it simple! Start a gratitude journal. This is a place where you jot down 3-5 things that you are grateful for that day. It is a habit and a ritual that can change your life.
Focusing on gratitude for a few minutes can change your day around and encourage you to keep going. It can also help you feel not so overwhelmed on the crazy busy days.
3) Coloring:
If you look at the Amazon best seller list there are consistently 3-5 coloring books near the top. Why? Because coloring is a creative, calming and stress busting activity. It’s not just for kids anymore.
Bright colored markers, crayons and colored pencils, I know you have at least one of these on hand. Select a few of your favorite and put them with a coloring book so you can pull it out for a quick break. Then take note of how your mind slows down, focuses in on this creative activity.
Click here to download a couple of coloring and gratitude journal pages to get you started.
4) Stretching and Exercising:
Find a sequence of stretches that you can do in 5 minutes. It could be Pilates or a form of Yoga or just a series of arm stretches and neck rolls to work out the kinks of the day. It only takes a few minutes to do and can make a huge difference in how you feel.
How about a fast five-minute workout? Something to really get the blood moving and keep you energized and motivated.
Whether it is stretching or a short exercise routine it can help wake you up, clear your head and get your focus back.
For a great resource on short stretching and exercise routines I highly recommend the Fitness Blender exercise videos.
I can just about guarantee you that you can find 5-10 minutes a day for a short break. The trick is having things ready for you. So plan ahead and start creating or adding more ideas to your Take-A-Break Kit. If it isn’t handy you probably won’t do it and you will use all of your 5-10 minutes finding the supplies you are looking for.
Once you have supplies gathered you can then plan a simple 5-10 minute break and do it!
Do you have any quick Take-A-Break Kit ideas?
Marta Goertzen is an entrepreneur, writer, WordPress Website developer, and nature photographer. She daily explores the trails and beaches of the South Central Oregon Coast with her dogs Oliver & Mochi. You can follow along on their adventures on Instagram. Marta also fully believes that change starts with gratitude and that gratitude can change everything. Find out how with the “Grateful Friday 7-Days of Gratitude Starter Kit”
Take your puppy out for a potty break☺
Yes!! That definitely works too 🙂
These are great ideas, and very doable without loads of prep.
Lovely coloring pages!
And thanks for the link to our Steeped Tea website. It’s funny, but it really gives me warm fuzzies when someone gets pleasure out of one (or more!) of the teas we’ve shared with them.
Yes, little prep time is key most days. Have it ready or quick access to the tools and it is much more likely to happen.
Good tea, yummy tea is hard to find and your tea is definitely at the top of my list! 🙂