Don’t wait for the calendar to tell you to rest

by Angela Darar

I hope you’ve just enjoyed another bank holiday weekend and had a perfect opportunity to slow down and recharge your batteries. This extra day off can make such a big difference, can’t it?

But it made me reflect: often, our time off tends to align only with calendar-driven breaks like the recent bank holiday. In our case, we took a lovely short break in Norfolk during Easter, and while it felt great at the time, I realised we shouldn’t rely solely on public holidays to remind us we need to rest.

Admittedly, I’ve been guilty of this myself, often letting these dates on the calendar dictate my downtime. I think the real goal is to intentionally create regular breaks throughout the year, regardless of whether the calendar says it’s time to pause.

We all know how taking short breaks from work can help reduce stress, boost creativity, and improve focus and mental clarity, giving us more energy and motivation when we return to work.

Yet, according to recent statistics, nearly half of UK employees don’t take their full annual leave allowance each year. What’s worse is that among those who do take time off, around 42% admit they continue working while on holiday, often feeling guilty about stepping away and worried about falling behind. Sound familiar?

So for Jas and myself, here’s what we’re committing to: making deliberate downtime part of our routine by actively scheduling mini-breaks in advance. If you’re anything like me, your default diary is filled with meetings, client calls, and important deadlines, but why not give the same priority to your own rest and recharge days?

At REACH, we know that running a successful business means looking after yourself too. So let’s make scheduling regular breaks just as important as those other work-related entries in your diary.

I hope your bank holiday was restful, and here’s to intentionally planning more time off throughout the year.