You Deserve a Break Today

In 1971, a relatively new restaurant chain launched an advertising campaign I still remember it well. It focused on women with this slogan: You deserve a break today! So, get up, and get away – to McDonald's!

Taking a break may no longer be what comes to mind when we think about fast food, but that's how it was first introduced. That's right – one of the first major ad campaigns for McDonald's was about giving women a break from the kitchen.

I thought about that when considering our theme of rest and reflection for July. The idea of a break is perhaps the easiest way to begin introducing a self-care plan that touches on both of those areas.

So, what is a break? Are there rules for this? Yes and no. Let's look at an example. A vacation isn't a break if it doesn't use a pause button somewhere. If you take your work with you and constantly remain in work mode, it's not a vacation at all. It is just a change in geography. You need to hit that pause button mentally as well as physically. In other words, wherever you are – be there. Whomever you are with, be with them.

The most important part then is the recognition of what the word implies – a break. Something stops. Not everything, but something, even if just for a moment.

Think about the theatre. In between the acts of the play, there are breaks. It's not about what happens on the break or intermission. It's about what isn't happening. The stage is empty. You are separated from it until it resumes.

The same applies to sports. Each year the Super Bowl half-time has grown in its importance within the event. But its core (and original) purpose is not to entertain us; it is to give the players a break. They leave the field. They leave the battle. Even though they may mentally still be thinking about the game, they have a reprieve from the game's physical demands.

One of the best ways to make sure you are getting the breaks you need is by integrating them into your routines. If you work on a computer for hours on end as I do, it's important to take physical breaks and mental ones. It's not enough for me to shut down the work and socialize online. I need to do as the McDonald's slogan asserted: Get up and get away! I need to stretch and move. I do that every hour, and it makes a difference every day.

How about it? Have you had your break today? Might be time to step away!