How many times have you heard it? If you are struggling with something its time to take a break. Or, maybe you have said it yourself, I have got to take a break, whether it is a mental or physical task.  These breaks tend to be short breaks, but then there are the longer ones, a “vacation” or “holiday” or, if you are lucky, even a longer one, a “sabatical.”  We know we need breaks, but have you ever had any good advice about how to “prepare” for one?

Sure, the short breaks, the ones that are built into our day, the coffee break, or tea time.  Those are part of the routine.  Or, if you are working on a project, a brief stretch break, again, something that is built in.  What about “study breaks” or those longer breaks, like a vacation or a long weekend?  We don’t typically get any useful advice on how to prepare for them, so we aren’t “overwhelmed” when we return and lose all the benefit of the break.  Personally, I just took a short break, a weekend retreat. Yet, this time I spent some time preparing for the break, and thought I would share some insights.

Let’s look at it from a learning perspective.  We know cramming doesn’t work; it may help with the next quiz or test, but it won’t help in the long run.  The question is why?  As a physicist, I view homework problems as puzzles.  Some come easily, others not so much.  But, I also know that if I haven’t been able to figure something out, sleeping on it or switching to another task, such as going for a walk, vacuuming, folding the laundry, or engaging in a hobby, and I came back to the problem, it seems to have solved itself. Why? There is a psychological term for it, “latency.” I think that Graham Wallas, a social psychologist in 1926, outlined it perfectly.  He said that learning requires preparation, i.e., the hard work of gathering the data, working on the homework, trying to solve the problem, followed by incubation, walking away, and letting the brain do its work, then you get the AHA!, or illumination, and finally, you put your learning to the test.  It is all a critical part of learning.  Thus, to really make a topic, or subject your own, you have to put in the effort and take a break. 

Coming back to the problem or task creates another issue, getting started after the break.  Apparently, Ernest Hemingway had a system that helped with that, the Hemingway Method.  He said to stop at the peak and write down the next step, or, as he was a writer, write down the next subject line, and that would get you back on track.

What about the longer breaks?  This is where planning is essential.  In preparing for a weekend away or a longer vacation, there are a number of things to consider.  What are the deadlines that you are facing, who is going to cover those essential tasks, and how are you going to return?  So, here is my advice: start planning early and protect your break.  You know your vacation is coming, so get your to-do lists ready.  Set yourself up for success.  Those big projects get them to a good place, so you know exactly what has to be done when you get back, make the vital arrangements with the colleagues that will cover for you if something comes up, and use your tools.  Use that out-of-office item in your email; you need to manage expectations when you are away.  

It is the return that is always a challenge.  I find that I need a buffer; I need to build in a bit of time to make sure I can manage the inevitable travel glitches, clean up items at home, and give myself some time to come back.  If possible, arrange your break so that you have this time.  You also need to use your tools to schedule time to go through your email and have a method that works for you. There are lots of productivity tips out there to help with your “inbox” (virtual or real), but it is a method that works for you.  You don’t want all of that energy that you gained from your break to be sapped out immediately.  

As with most things, a bit of planning and reflection prior to acting will help.  It will allow you to enjoy your break and will allow you to manage the re-entry.  Yes, breaks are essential, and we don’t take enough of them, primarily because no one ever taught us how.