Teetering On The Edge? 7 Awesome Parent-Approved Nanobreaks
When you don’t have time for a proper break and screaming into a pillow just won’t cut it
As a parent, I am always finding myself with less available time than my childless peers.
I realize I signed up for this when I decided to have kids.
However, when you have such limited time, it's difficult to carve out even a 15–20-minute break.
Even though you know that pause would reenergize you, those 15 minutes can feel like an impossible luxury to afford yourself.
So, I've been practicing what I call "nanobreaks." As a non-smoker who constantly has a young child hanging off her, these are 30-second to 1-minute activities that I can do when it all gets too much to bear.
My Go-To Nanobreaks
Here are some examples:
Stepping outside briefly and breathing in fresh air, regardless of what the weather is doing. That quick change of environment can instantly shift your mindset.
Hanging off a bar for 30 seconds – it's a good stretch and decompresses my spine whilst strengthening my grip – win-win! I keep a simple pull-up bar in one doorway just for this purpose.
Getting a comforting snack (I never said these nanobreaks were good for the waistline). Sometimes that small moment of pleasure is exactly what you need to reset.
One minute of stretching – focusing on whatever feels tight, usually shoulders and neck from all that looking down at children and devices.
Picking an object in the distance and staring at it whilst focusing on breathing. This helps rest my eyes from close-up work and screens.
Box breathing exercises – I quite like the 5 × 5 box method: 5 seconds inhale, 5 seconds hold breath, 5 seconds exhale, 5 seconds hold breath, and repeat twice. Navy SEALs use this technique to remain calm and focused during high-stress situations. The structured pattern helps regulate your nervous system and bring you back to centre within about one minute.
Colouring (yes, I'm aware I'm not 5 years old, but it is very relaxing). I keep a small colouring book and a few pens in my desk drawer for these moments.
The Surprising Impact
These are not ground-breaking things. They are simple activities that most people do all the time. However, I'm using them as a way to stay sane when I know I don't even have time for a quick walk around the block. And to my surprise, they have actually been working.
Each nanobreak gives me time to change the scene, and changing the scene helps to refocus and think about what's important. For instance, when I realize that I have a to-do list as long as my arm or a mental load that is overwhelming, it only takes a few seconds to quickly adjust back into things and be ready for another battering – sometimes I feel like a contender on the Gladiators UK TV show!
The beauty of nanobreaks is that they're so short that the guilt factor is minimized. You're not "slacking off" – you're optimizing your mental resources for the marathon of parenting.
To Sum Up
If you, like me, are really pushed for time, maybe give nanobreaks a go. They provide a brief escape and give me enough energy to get through the crazy day. The cumulative effect of several nanobreaks throughout the day can be surprisingly powerful.
What other nanobreak ideas can you think of? I'd happily give them a try. After all, we parents need all the sanity-saving tricks we can get!
Thanks for reading, have a good week.
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As a parent, your thought on nano-breaks resonate well with me, Selda. The box-breathing exercise is a new learning and I'd definitely practice it. Also, picking the distant object and starting at it sounds familiar to 20-20-20 rule to reduce eye strain, especially from prolonged screen time - which I've been following for a a long time. What are your thoughts on partners work together to help each other in achieving nano-breaks every day?