Chad Zizelman Coaching

Do you ever look at the clock just to realize that hours have gone by and you haven’t taken a second away from your work?

Or maybe you feel like your head is about to explode because of non-stop work for hours?

Well, you’re not alone.

Tons of us can relate to this on a daily basis.

For me, this has been a common occurrence throughout my professional carrier and adding 2 kids to the mix hasn’t made it easier. From about 6:30am until about 8:00pm (sometimes later), my day seems to simply never slow down.

I have found a way to combat the strain of a busy day though.

Break timers.

It’s a simple tool that provides wonderful results.

Starting at the time I start my workday, I have the mindfulness bell go off every 45 minutes to remind to to take a second to become present and simply breathe.

I don’t take much time to do this. Sometimes I take 30 seconds and sometimes I take 5 minutes. I really just gauge it based on the situation and how not present I am at the time.

If I am riding a positivity high, I take 30 seconds to appreciate that high and then just ride it.

If I feel like my head is about to explode, I will remove myself from the area and take 5 minutes to reset myself.

There have been countless studies on taking breaks throughout the day and the benefits are invaluable.

Taking a break can:

• Decrease stress
• Increase mental health and wellness
• Increase quality of work
• Prevent fatigue
• Help you focus
• Much, much more

I could spend all day listing out the benefits because there are simply that many. Even if you feel like you can’t afford to take a break, think of it this way..

You can’t afford to NOT take a break.

At the end of the day, no amount of success or money is worth you being an unhealthy, beat-up disaster.

Now, I personally set my timers at 45 minutes because I find when I can anticipate the bell, I tend to let it be a distraction or I find an excuse to just skip it. That doesn’t mean you have to do the same time though, as I know many people who actually prefer to keep it at the top of every hour.

You also don’t have to use a mindfulness bell and can use whatever app or device you would like. There are countless options and you should simply find whatever works for you.

Just search break timers and you will find countless options.

If you want to check out the one I use, I use the Bell of Mindfulness feature on the Plum Village app.

I hope this advice helps and just remember, BREATHE!

Feature Photo by Conscious Design on Unsplash