Now that we are learning to set boundaries & say no, Part 3 focuses on taking time for mental breaks at work. We probably have all heard about how taking a break increases our productivity, but it is easier said than done. I have to admit though, those times I did a break, I was more productive.
Part 3. You Should Take That Break
Pumping forced me to take a break from whatever I was doing. Not a leisurely break, but a mental break at the very least. Experts actually recommend taking breaks to improve productivity, but how many of us actually do that? I don’t.
When you’re crunched for time, especially as a working mom, your ultimate goal is to get as much done as humanly possible while you’re at work. Stopping mid-work session to take a mental break—even if they say it will increase your productivity in the end—is a nice idea in theory but not all that realistic in practice.
As a whole, my time spent pumping became a time for a mental break and to get out of my own head for a minute. Most times, I brought my computer with me into the mom’s room, but on particularly stressful days, I spent my time pumping with the lights off, listening to a meditation app, and practicing breathing exercises. This is something I would never have made time for in the middle of any day—workday or otherwise—outside of being forced to sit down in a room and pump for 30 minutes.
And miraculously, all my work still got done. My productivity didn’t nosedive. When I really needed to get something done, I took my computer with me and multi-tasked. When I really needed a break, I took a break.
Hopefully, this mini-series about life lessons learned from pumping has been motivating & encouraging. Know that you are not alone — it takes a village to feed, raise & parent a little one.
