When You Don’t Know You Need One: The Unexpected Power of Taking a Break ⏯️

Hey, it’s me—your “you-should-probably-sit-down-for-a-sec” friend!

Picture us on a porch swing with some “adult juice” (or some lemonade for the non-drinkers in the house). You’ve been hustling: juggling work, self-care ideals, community building, third cup of coffee, glancing at your phone. On the outside you look fine. On the inside… maybe less so. You might notrealize you need to take a break until you actually take a break. Go figure.

Why? Because our brains & bodies are sneaky AF—they’ll keep going until one day you’re like: “Wait, why did my brain freeze while reading an email?” or “Why did I snap at my dog?”

Here’s the truth: Taking a break isn’t just indulgent—it’s scientifically smart (yeah, I did some research for ya).

• Breaks help your brain switch states, recharge attention & creativity.

• Breaks reduce stress, prevent burnout, & help you maintain performance long-term.

• Breaks help your body too (yes, even your spine & your screen-staring eyeballs).

So let’s chat: how to see that you actually need one, & how to take one without feeling guilty (because yeah—I know you).

⸻

🚩 How to recognize you need to take a break

I think I’ve become a pro at recognizing the signs of needing to take a break. There aren’t many I haven’t experienced because it’s hard for me not to do the most. So since I’m somewhat of an expert, here are some gems (& maybe gentle nudges) to help you see the warning lights before they become full-on neon signs.

1. Brain fog & focus gone AWOL:

If you’re reading the same sentence three times & still don’t know what it means—that’s a sign. Brain fog SUCKS, especially for someone whose mind doesn’t shut off. When I have trouble thinking of simple words, it’s my sign to take a chill pill.

Take Tuesday, for example. I was writing an email & couldn’t think of a word to use other than “discussed.” It was so bad ya girl had to pull out my homegirl ChatGPT for the synonyms. Hard to believe I took AP English my senior year, yet I can come up with words that easy. 😒 For sure sign that it was break time!

2. Relentless fatigue (even after “rest”): If you sleep 7 hours & still feel like you slept 3 — your nervous system might need a real break. The “rest” part of a break gets forgotten sometimes.  Hello, it’s me again…

.II pretty much live off of 5-6 hours of sleep per night, but I certainly need to be getting more. It’s just hard for me to stop the grind when I’m in the zone. Maybe I’ll be able to do better in the next year or two when I can run more on autopilot.

3. Irritable, short-fused, “tell ‘em why you mad, son” vibe: When you snap at someone for the tiniest thing (or yourself), that’s your body saying “hello, hello, can we pause please?”

When Mocha Monster (that other side that I try to keep dormant) comes out to play, it’s like the voice of Chucky enters the chat with the evil “you wanna play?” plot. I have found that my lil attitude isn’t always from needing to take a break; most of it is that Pisces loner thing.

4. You’ve forgotten fun (or when was the last time?): If you can’t remember the last time you did something just for the heck of it—& not for “self-care Instagram photo”—then the pause button might be dusty.

Thank God my fun is close to free most of the time: chilling on my back porch binge watching something, reading a book, eating something hella good. On the other hand, my FUN fun is traveling, but that takes some time to plan. Let’s just say I have a nice balance of options.

5. You keep saying “I’ll rest after this …” & the “this” never ends: Happens to all of us. Work expands to fill in the available time, & so does stress. Research says micro-breaks & deliberate pauses help much more than “when I finish everything” thinking.

Those micro-breaks are what I need to work on more often. I don’t always realize when I’m so deep in the zone that I haven’t moved in hours. Maybe I should set a timer when I’m working so I can take time to step away, rest my eyes & brain, & recharge.

⸻

The art of taking a break

✅ How to actually take a break (yes, you can)

Okay, you’ve seen the warning lights. Now what? Here’s your friend’s guide to making the break really happen, not just dream about it:

1. Schedule it like a meeting: Pretend your break is important enough to show up on the calendar (because it is). Mark “Break – Do Nothing” or “Break – Me Time” & treat it like a non-negotiable.

2. Pick something different (not just the same but slower): If you’re always at your laptop, stand up, walk, stretch. If you’re always on your phone, put it away. Science says taking “purposeful breaks” (walk, deep breathe) boosts energy better than checking social media. If you’re always in your head, let your body move, your eyes wander, or just be.

3. Use the “micro-break + big break” combo: It looks a lil something like this:

• Micro-break: 5-15 minutes of stepping away, maybe stretching, maybe breathing. Helps reduce fatigue.

• Big break: half a day, full day, a weekend—whatever you can swing. Enough to disconnect enough that you return a little fresher.

4. Unplug if you can: The constant screen-buzz, notification ping, email “just one more” trap—they hijack your recovery. Taking a break from screens counts as a break.

5. Let go of the guilt: This one’s important: resting is not slacking. Resting is an essential part of your wellness process—something that helps you show up better. Breaks improve your mood, resilience, focus (or so they say).

6. Return with intention: After your break, ask: “What’s one thing I want to carry forward?” Maybe it’s more moments of quiet, maybe it’s saying no to one thing, maybe it’s scheduling regular pause times. Use the break as a reset, not just a stop.

⸻

Final thoughts, from me to you…

If I were whispering into your ear: friend, you may not even know you needed the break until you took it. It’s like waking up & asking, “Why was I so cranky yesterday?” …& realizing you hadn’t paused in weeks. That’s why being intentional about rest is powerful.

When I went to Atlanta for Healing While Building a few weeks ago, I didn’t realize how much I needed the rest, both mentally & physically. I chugged Red Bull on the almost 4 hour drive down. Although I didn’t go to bed until late Friday & Saturday nights, I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. A combo of taking a pause from working & mommying + seeing my sister & catching serious vibes at Healing While Building gave me exactly what I needed to feel rested. In fact, I left from the event Sunday evening & drove back home without caffeine.

Under the umbrella of our brand, Intentionally Evolve, we believe busy women deserve self-care that works. Part of that is recognizing rest isn’t optional—it’s part of the path. So next time you find yourself grinding, racing, toggling between tasks—pause. Let your body & brain say something, instead of waiting for them to shout.

You’ve got this. And your break? It’s not a sign you’ve failed—it’s a signal you’re smart enough to evolve.