When you think about managing your time, how often is it about being more productive, reaching those big goals, or getting more items crossed off your to-do list today? You wonder how other people get so much done. You’re frustrated that you’re constantly working, yet your lists and goals feel hard to finish or even to start.

After all, there are only 24 hours in a day. For most of us, at least six to eight of those hours are devoted to sleep. Subtract time for eating, transitions, bio breaks, managing distractions, and handling the unexpected, and your available time to get things done is significantly reduced.

I remember my mom used to get annoyed about having to sleep. She would say, “We sleep a third of our lives away. Sleeping is a waste of time.” I never bought into the idea that sleep was a waste. Instead, I saw her words as reflecting her intense need to make the most of every moment.

I’m all for making the most of the time I have. Time is finite and a precious resource. However, one of the best ways to manage your time better is to take intentional breaks. Sleep is one aspect, but taking breaks while awake is just as essential.

What Types of Breaks Will Help You Be a Better Time Manager?

I know I’m stating the obvious, but you need energy and focus to get things done. Working longer or beyond capacity doesn’t help. You’ve probably reached the point of diminishing returns. You know those nights. You’re exhausted, pushing to finish that spreadsheet, dealing with a sink full of dishes, packing for a trip, or writing one more email response.

However, understanding the benefits of taking breaks and integrating them into your life will help.

It’s more than ‘will help.’ Taking breaks is essential not only for energy, focus, and getting things done but also for your overall well-being. Life isn’t only about doing more. It’s about stepping away for short, medium, or longer breaks.

What can these mid-size breaks look like? Let’s review some options to help you better manage your time. These pauses are about giving you time to recover so you can return to ‘the work’ refreshed, recharged, and energized.

1. Short Breaks

You might be thinking, “I’m so busy that I barely have time for a bio break, let alone any other break.” Believe me, I get it. You are not alone in feeling overwhelmed by the pace of life.

However, it is possible to integrate several short breaks into your day. If “short” feels too long, reframe it as a micro-break.

These tiny resets can be taken a few times a day and may include:

• Close your eyes and take several slow breaths in and out.

• Stand up and shake out your body.

• Send a quick email or text to someone you love.

• Enjoy a few leisurely sips of coffee or iced tea.

• Eat a snack.

• Doodle on a sheet of paper.

• Go outside for fresh air.

• Take a walk around the office or the block.

• Roll your shoulders forward and backward.

• Dance or sing loudly to a favorite song.

• Take a few deep, loud sighs.

• Splash cold water on your face.

• Sit and do nothing for a few minutes.

• Meditate for 1 to 5 minutes. Insight Timer offers many excellent options.

What else could work well for your micro-break?

“Life isn’t only about doing more.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

2. Medium Breaks

Those mini breaks are wonderful, but at times you will benefit from something longer. If you can carve out more than 5 minutes, a medium break is beneficial. While micro-breaks can be impromptu, a medium break might require some advance planning.

Here are some recharge ideas for breaks ranging from 20 minutes to several hours:

• Take a 20-minute nap.

• Go to the movies.

• Take a walk in nature.

• Meet a friend for lunch.

• Explore a museum, garden, or town.

• Get a massage.

• Meditate for 30 minutes.

• Write in your journal.

• Call a loved one.

• Go to the pool or the beach.

• Read a book (or a portion of one).

• Spend time in a hammock.

• Go for a bike ride.

• Make something with your hands.

• Daydream.

• Take a yoga class.

What other types of medium breaks could benefit you?

3. Long Breaks

Full disclosure here. Today I took a micro break (meditated) and a medium break (walked by the river). I also just returned from a long break, a family vacation in the Finger Lakes. I have to say, as much as I need my shorter breaks regularly, the extended ones are just as vital. They can be more challenging to take because of the expense or limited time.

Yet, going somewhere for several days (if possible) and stepping away from your regular routines and responsibilities is one of the best ways to recharge. You will return refreshed, more focused, and ready to re-engage with your projects and lists.

It also gives you time to float, think, catch up on sleep, connect with family and friends, or simply do nothing. But a long break doesn’t have to mean only getting away.

Here are some long-break ideas when you have more than 24 hours:

• Take a staycation and stick to fun or relaxing activities.

• Take a personal retreat focused on rest and reflection.

• Unplug for several days.

• Learn a new skill just for fun.

• Create a home retreat with no obligations, errands, or projects.

• Go away for the weekend, or extend it to a long weekend.

• Vacation somewhere you have to fly to.

• Travel to somewhere on your bucket list.

• Check into a spa or wellness retreat.

• Go camping or glamping.

• Vacation somewhere reachable by car.

• Take a biking, kayaking, or boating trip.

• Spend an extended visit with loved ones.

What have you enjoyed most during your long breaks?

Are You Ready to Give Yourself the Breaks You Deserve?

Busy is how many of you describe your lives. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a full life. But make sure you also take a variety of intentional breaks. Breaks are the yin to your ‘busy’ yang.

Do you take regular breaks? What types do you take? Would you benefit from adding more pauses to your life? How would taking more breaks help you manage your time better? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you feel overwhelmed, disorganized, and have difficulty managing your time? I’m here to help! You don’t have to do this alone. Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – Local feel with a global reach.

Let’s connect! I’m easy to reach.

• Schedule a Discovery Call

• Fill out the Contact Form

• Email me at linda@ohsoorganized.com or

• Call 914-271-5673

Managing your time, getting organized, and living with more ease are possible, especially with support.

Is it only me, or has your plate also become fuller since the start of the fall season? After returning from our last trip of the summer, reality hit.

There were workshops to create and make progress on. Interactions with new, returning, and potential organizing clients ramped up, and volunteer activities went into full gear. Add to these the holidays, upcoming conference travel, and my new Mindful Organizing workshop launching this week. These make my to-do list more intense than usual. This burst of activity pulses through my mind and body.

While there is nothing intrinsically wrong with having a full plate, I am reminded of a mindfulness meditation practice I worked with a while ago. Using the Insight Timer app, I listened to Justin Francisco’s meditation, Drop Your To-Do List and Just Be. It was a message I needed to hear. After meditating, I added a note to my to-do list about using this idea for a future blog post. The irony wasn’t lost on me.

It was also helpful to understand the difference between Justin’s Just Be List and my To-Don’t List, which I’ve written about before.

Justin makes the case about the benefits of taking time to just be and do nothing. This seems more viable when we’re on vacation or have less going on. I get that. I am internally driven to accomplish and be productive, but I sometimes struggle to reconcile how much I need those deep pauses. However, I have experienced the value of stopping, even briefly, and recognize the tremendous benefits of taking do-nothing breaks.

What are you in the thick of?

• Are you overwhelmed with the clutter in your home?

• Are you frustrated with your organizing systems?

• Is your schedule overflowing?

• Are you trying to create a better balance between work and personal time?

• Are you working on new projects, which make it difficult to focus on anything else?

• Is your to-do list so extensive that you can’t decide what to do next?

“There are tremendous benefits to taking do-nothing breaks.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

Just Be List

When you have a lot going on, it may feel like the obvious first step is to take action and work more. While those will be essential to move forward, consider this alternative. When your mind is racing and you’re stressed, it’s more challenging to focus. This is an excellent time to pause and do nothing. You’ll return refreshed after your do-nothing break. You can mindfully. . . 

• Stare out of the window.

• Step outside to feel the sun and cool fall breeze on your skin.

• Sit and close your eyes for a few moments.

• Lay down with a cozy blanket and take a short nap.

• Plop onto the couch and stare at the ceiling.

• Notice the inhale and exhale movements of your breath.

• Listen to the sounds around you.

• Watch the flames flicker as you smell the scent of your favorite candle.

While doing nothing, do only that. No scrolling, list-making, or thinking about what you’ll do next. If doing nothing feels too challenging, set a timer. Give yourself 10, 15, or 20 minutes to disengage. When the buzzer dings, return to your to-list and select one small thing to focus on.

Notice how that felt. In which ways was your pause beneficial? After your break, did you feel refreshed? Were you more motivated? Could you more easily select and engage in that next small action step? How will you experiment again with just being?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.