The Power of Taking a Break: The Mental Fast You Didn’t Know You Needed
We’ve all been taught that success is about more effort, more hours, more grind. But what if I told you that stepping away—taking a break—could actually be your secret weapon?
Think about fasting. When you fast, your body stops processing food and shifts into repair mode.
Instead of constantly digesting, it’s healing, detoxifying, and optimizing.
Your brain works the same way.
When you’re constantly feeding it tasks, notifications, and stress, it’s busy just keeping up. But when you take a break, your brain has the space to reset. It processes everything you’ve been working on, quietly connecting dots in the background.
That’s why your best ideas come to you when you’re not working—like in the shower, or on a walk. The brain finally gets room to breathe.
But here’s where it gets really interesting, especially for those of us with ADHD. Ever feel like the world just wasn’t built for your brain? In Hunter in a Farmer’s World, Thom Hartmann talks about how ADHD brains are wired like hunters—always scanning, reacting quickly, and thriving in chaos.
Back in the day, hunters needed to be quick, adaptable, and hyper-focused when the time was right. Now? We live in a society designed for farmers. Everything is about routine, structure, and slow, methodical progress. That’s why constantly grinding feels like forcing a hunter to plow a field for hours—it doesn’t align with how your brain naturally works.
You need breaks. You need space.
Taking breaks isn’t just a “nice-to-have”; it’s a necessity, especially for those of us navigating ADHD, anxiety, or burnout. When you’re pushing non-stop, you’re not giving your brain the chance to recharge. You hit brain fog. Stress piles up. Creativity dries out. But the moment you step away—even for just a few minutes—your mind gets the chance to wander, process, and reset. And that’s when things start clicking again.
The best part? Taking a break is like a mental detox. Just like fasting makes your body more efficient, taking breaks makes your brain sharper. When you stop feeding it the endless stream of tasks, it starts to clean up the mental clutter. Suddenly, that problem you’ve been stuck on starts to unravel itself. You get that “aha” moment you’ve been waiting for.
Here’s the real kicker: If you’ve got ADHD, these breaks are even more important. We’ve all been there—sitting at a desk, trying to focus, but nothing is happening.
It’s like your brain just won’t cooperate.
That’s when taking a break becomes a superpower. When you step away, your brain resets, and when you come back, you’re way more likely to tap into that hyperfocus we know so well. And hyperfocus? That’s when the magic happens.
But let’s not kid ourselves—there’s a guilt that comes with stepping away. We’ve been programmed to think that more work equals more success.
Hustle culture tells us that if we’re not constantly producing, we’re falling behind. But here’s the reality: more isn’t better. In fact, working non-stop can actually tank your productivity. Every extra hour you push starts to feel less effective. That’s because your brain, like your body, needs time to recover.
Breaks aren’t just about productivity, though. They’re critical for mental health. Stress, anxiety, burnout—these are the byproducts of always being on. When you’re constantly working, your nervous system stays in overdrive. Fight-or-flight mode kicks in, cortisol levels go up, and your ability to think clearly and creatively tanks.
Taking a break allows you to reset, to calm your nervous system, to get out of that constant reactive state.
For people with ADHD, breaks also help regulate focus. We all know how hard it is to stay locked in on tasks that don’t naturally engage us. It’s like trying to see through fog. But after a break? The fog clears. Suddenly, those impossible tasks start to feel doable.
The truth is, breaks aren’t about doing nothing—they’re about shifting energy. It’s not about shutting off your brain, it’s about feeding it something new. Go for a walk. Put on some music. Stretch. My favourite? A session of Yoga Nidra.
Whatever gets your brain to stop grinding and start wandering.
That’s when the real breakthroughs happen. That’s when creativity flows, when clarity returns, and when you find solutions to problems that felt impossible just a few hours ago.
So how do you make breaks work for you?
It’s simple. You just need to be intentional about it. Here’s what works for me:
Micro-breaks: Every hour, stand up, move around, breathe, or just stare out the window. Five minutes is all you need.
Movement: A walk, some yoga, anything that gets your body moving. Physical activity has a way of refreshing your mind.
Unplug: No screens, no notifications, just space. Give your brain a break from the digital overload.
Creativity: Paint, write, play music—whatever sparks joy and engages your mind in a different way.
Reflection: Use your breaks to check in with yourself. How are you feeling? What do you need? This kind of mindful pause can reset your focus for the rest of the day.
The key is to build these breaks into your day like they’re non-negotiable. Because they are.
Remember: taking a break isn’t about losing time—it’s about gaining clarity, creativity, and focus. And when you make rest part of your routine, you’ll find that you’re more productive, more creative, and just generally in a better headspace.
So, this week, give it a shot. Take a step back.
Watch how much more you can actually achieve when you let yourself breathe. Let the breaks work for you.
Thanks for reading
With Gratitude
Tomaso