B2 – Upper Intermediate
Do you find it hard to break a routine and find some time to take a load off? No matter how much we have on our plate, we should always remember to give ourselves a well deserved time off.
Below are some downright advice about how to feel revitalized despite a hectic or too ordinary schedule.
Are you one of the almost half of Americans who did not take a summer vacation? Do you often find yourself rushing from A to B with no time to breathe, working seven days a week and not taking time for lunch? If so, it’s time to take a break. When you are building a business or climbing the corporate ladder or assuming others’ responsibilities, it’s easy to become caught up in work and routines and easy to forget that we are not machines. Taking a break is not only necessary for the well-being of our minds and bodies, but a real need. Ironic, isn’t it, that if one waits for the perfect time to take a break, it never seems to come, because there is always something to do and take care of, instead of taking care of ourselves and accepting that well-deserved break.
Taking a Break Doesn’t Have to Take You Away
Summer just came and went. It promised adventure, romance, fun, and leisure; but did your dreams become reality this year? Or did you continue to dream of white sandy beaches, quiet cool mountain views, the solitude of the desert, the excitement of an action-filled adventure vacation, or even of distant lands? The only thing stopping us from fulfilling our dreams is ourselves. There is always a way if we prioritize. Taking a break doesn’t have to be about going away. More and more people have realized that taking a break can be as simple as not answering the phone or e-mail for a week, hanging out in pajamas all day, spending time alone or with friends, and perhaps best of all not having a single plan of what to do, doing absolutely nothing. How about a retreat with no traveling and no financial outlay? You could simply investigate and experience the sound of silence for a few days. Don’t use your voice, communicate when you must with pen and paper. Those who have experienced the bliss of silence are full of praise for the many benefits derived from this simple, yet different approach to taking a break.
Take a Solitary Break
When was the last time you took a break from those that you love? A friend recently found herself taking a real break alone for two weeks. Her husband and children took a trip abroad and she chose to stay at home. It was her first break on her own for over 25 years. She looked forward to it with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. By the end of the two weeks, she reported that she had thoroughly enjoyed her own company and that the single life was a lot simpler and most enjoyable. Even in the most wonderful relationships we can find ourselves again and breathe a breath of fresh air by taking a break from our partners and being even for a short time separate units.
Ten Tips for Taking a Break from Life
If you feel like you can hardly remember the last time you took a break, check the following ten tips for taking a break from life, reality and yourself. You are guaranteed to start to feel rejuvenated, revitalized and ready to take a real break sometime soon.
- Buy a New Outfit – Make a shopping trip especially for something new to wear which is bright, colorful and just perfect for breaks and vacations. Then leave right away and enjoy your purchase. Your wardrobe with thank you for giving it a new splash of color
- Give Your Taste Buds a Treat – Take a break from skipping lunch at work and making do with eating fast food. Instead, eat something simple, colorful, fun, exotic or with wild flavors and textures. Enjoy!
- Indulge in a Day of Silence – Take one day out of your life and vow not to say a single word. Relax, enjoy the peace and silence.
- Change Your Routine – Drive to work a different way. Break your usual daily habits. Expect the very best all day and be ready for the unexpected.
- Squirrel Away Some Mad Money – Dream a dream of your perfect break or vacation. Promise to put a little money aside regularly to make it happen. You’ll be amazed at how easy and painless it is to do.
- Be Still for Ten Minutes – Take a break from life as you know it by sitting down and being still for ten minutes. Close your eyes and relax. Let your thoughts come and go. Focus on your breathing. Allow your body to relax and your mind soar.
- Take Down Your Guard, Be Yourself – Take a break from the image that you have of yourself and the image that you project. Just let yourself be whoever you feel like being in the moment. Give yourself permission to be you.
- Check In – Make a regular practice of stopping whatever you are doing and checking in with yourself to feel how who and where you are at the moment. Keep a gratitude journal.
- Allow Yourself to Feel Awed – Take a break from reality. Look at a simple object, a flower, a tree, or a building. Imagine you are looking at it as if for the very first time.
- Step Out of Your Comfort Zone – Take a break from barriers and boundaries. Do something you did not know you could. Overcome your fear and amaze yourself.
Discussion Questions:
- Which among the tips do you do?
- How busy are you? Talk about it.
- What is your own way to change your routine?
- What do you do during your alone time?
- What are your plans for your upcoming vacation this year? If none, if given the chance, what would you do or where would you go?
