When your motivation is strongest, the last thing you want is to take a break, but the benefits of “down time” are an enhanced ability to focus, capacity to work faster, renewed creativity and a good mood.

When you are in a non-traditional career working from home, without the workplace customs of coffee breaks, a lunch hour and paid holidays, you may find yourself working non-stop for hours or even days at a time. Physical and emotional tension occurs when you shut down the part of your brain that notices your basic needs, so you can focus only on your goal. Although a strong focus is crucial to your success, breaks are equally as crucial.

Break time is needed to:

1) Rejuvenate

2) Get fresh ideas

3) Let problems “solve themselves” by standing back to gain perspective

4) Relieve stress

To benefit from down time, all you need is a simple 10 minute break—but make sure you switch gears—i.e. switch senses. For example, if your work is mostly visual—writing, research, virtual assistant—then conversing with a pleasant person or listening to music will be refreshing. If your work is auditory—like pay per call advice, virtual call center, or telephone coaching—then reading a magazine or watching the scenery will be refreshing. And for any job that is mental, get your body moving—walking, jumping, stretching, or dancing really brings you back to life. Health professionals recommend the following schedule for down time, no matter what your occupation:

 Ten minutes on the hour
 Three hours per day
 1.5 days per week
 3 day weekend every two months
 1 personal day per month – when needed
 2 weeks per year
 12 holidays a year

You deserve to keep refreshed and balanced. Remember to get up and stretch, and change to a different sensory mode. Check in with yourself—ask yourself, “If you were the grown-up and I was the little kid, what could you do right now that would be fun or make me feel better.”