A “pleasure break” is a 10 – 60 minute break that you schedule into your workday, just like any other important appointment. It’s a chance to give your brain a rest, get inspired, move your body, enjoy a real meal (not munching a stale sandwich while dropping crumbs into your laptop) and “reboot” yourself for the rest of your workday.

It’s a pleasurable “time out” from your workday that actually allows you to get more work done while elevating the overall quality of your work, too.

Skeptical? Feel like you’re already sooo busy – chasing client deadlines, scrambling to get everything done – so taking a break is just not an option?

Yeah. I was a skeptic, too. Even though scientists who study the human brain confirm that there’s a strong connection between “pleasure” and “productivity” (because pleasurable activities drive up your brain’s production of dopamine, which helps you to stay focused, productive, and motivated) I was still like… “Whatever. Not buying it.”

But once I started experimenting with pleasure breaks, sprinkling them throughout my workday, I could no longer deny the positive impact. (Siiigh. Science. Why you gotta be so smart like that?)

So here’s my question for you: Got 10 minutes?

Then you’ve got time for a mini pleasure break… and I highly recommend that you take one! Think of it like popping a dopamine vitamin-pellet into your mouth (nom nom!) which will make you more productive for the rest of your day.

What kind of pleasure break, you ask? Ooooh, I’ve got ideas for you!

I polled the people who took the preview class of OBSESSED – my training program for business owners who want to stress less, sell more, and build totally obsessed fanbases of clients and customers – and I asked them, “If you had just 10 minutes to take a pleasure break today, what would you do?”

Here’s what a few of them said:

“I went out to drive by a house I want, went shopping at a yummy food store, bought a book. Took my time.” – Rochelle “Rocky” Callen

“Walking – hiking – being in nature – essential to fuel my pleasure tank!” – Megan Walrod

“Cuddling with my cat, Han Solo.” – Melissa Herreria

“My pleasure break today: my 5 year old daughter putting me through a workout, cartwheels and all!” – Molly Courtney

“I just booked myself a massage (including a peppermint scalp massage) to celebrate my first week of my launch.” – Gena Shingle Jaffe

“Gilmore Girls and a giant club sandwich after a longggg day at a training course.” – Chloe Ann

“Drawing in my sketchbook… and mostly like chocolate will be involved.” – Tina Gunn

Um, these all sound amazing.

I hope you’re feeling inspired to take a pleasure break today.

I recommend doing something non-computer-related, if possible, to give yourself a break from all the screen-time you’re putting in.

That being said, binge-watching UnREAL on Lifetime is currently my favorite pleasure break activity, sooo… if you’re going to spend your break-time in front of a TV or computer screen, at least choose something decadently fun and salacious. 🙂