What’s your Fresh Air?

As I signed off a recent client call with an encouragement to grab some fresh air and sunshine before their next meeting, it struck me that we all likely have a different fresh air - something that gives us a break between meetings or tasks, something that refreshes and gives us an energy boost for the next thing we need to do in the day.

As the title suggests, my fresh air is just that. Getting outside into the daylight, getting some real air into my lungs and sun (when available) is a real tonic for me and gives me the mental break I need so I can refocus.

It’s important to give yourself some type of break between daily events, tasks and work requests.

Whether in the office or at home, going straight from one meeting or call to the next doesn't allow any space for you to close off one thing before opening the next. That means we often carry the baggage of one meeting into the next one and don’t have the focus we should from the start.

It means we don’t always have the right preparation done, even if that’s just a few minutes to gather our thoughts, get out our notes from previous meetings or jot down some objectives for the meeting or call we’re doing next.

A small survey threw up some different breaks people like to take:

· making a cup of tea

· walking around the house/block/office

· doing a quick house or garden chore

· taking a minute to check your diary

· make some notes for either the event just done or the next one

· quick check on personal email or messages/social media

Whatever it is that gives you a refresher break between closing one task and opening the next one should pay dividends in terms of focus and energy through the working day.

So ask yourself. Is whatever refreshes, reinvigorates and replenishes you worth the time it takes?

If not convinced, try an experiment someday.

The first step is taking a decision to schedule time for a break and follow through. Once you’ve done this a couple of times, notice the effects. It’s possible the sense of being refreshed and replenished will reinforce your new fresh air habit!