Breaks are not indulgent — they’re necessary to sustain focus, energy and good health. Here are five low-key, low-commitment ways to take a break from the office and recharge.
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Attorneys are notorious for working through lunch, checking email during “downtime” and squeezing in client calls between court appearances or meetings. In other words, we’re not really breaking at all.
Even when we say we’re taking a break, it often looks more like scrolling through the news, catching up on LinkedIn, or returning a few “quick” emails. And that’s a problem because short breaks, when taken intentionally, can recharge your mind, reset your focus, and improve your productivity for the rest of the day. The key is to choose activities that truly give your brain and body a pause from the constant demands of practice.
Below are five ways you can really take a break from the office — whether during your lunch hour or for a short afternoon reset.
1. Practice Gratitude on a Walk
One of the most restorative ways to step away from your desk is to literally step outside. A short walk, even 10–15 minutes, is enough to shift your perspective. But instead of using the time to rehash your to-do list or mentally prepare for your next client meeting, use it as an opportunity for gratitude.
Gratitude doesn’t have to mean writing in a journal (though that’s a great practice too). It can be as simple as noticing the small things around you. On your walk, pay attention to what you see, hear, and smell. Maybe you notice the bright green of new leaves, the sound of birds calling to each other, or the smell of coffee drifting out from a café. Each detail is something to appreciate.
The practice of gratitude in this way helps shift your focus from stress and pressure to awareness and presence. Instead of leaving your walk more anxious about what’s ahead, you return to your desk refreshed and calmer.
2. Meditate — Yes, Even for 5 Minutes
In the practice of law, we’re often jumping from one demanding task to another — drafting a brief, taking a call, responding to a client emergency – all with unexpected interruptions that arise without notice. Meditation offers a pause in between this chaos and clears out the mental clutter so you can return with sharper focus and less reactivity.
Meditation can feel intimidating if you imagine needing to sit cross-legged in total silence for an hour. That would be a great way to reset, but it’s not necessary. In reality, even a five-minute meditation in your office chair can give your nervous system a reset.
The goal isn’t to “empty your mind” but to practice being present. You aren’t zoning out; instead, you are focusing in. You might try a guided meditation app, set a timer and focus on your breath, or simply close your eyes and repeat a calming phrase. Taking just a few minutes for quiet attention can make a big difference in the rest of your day.
3. Move Your Body
Most lawyers spend their days sitting — at desks, in meetings, in courtrooms. That much sitting isn’t just bad for your physical health; it also affects your energy, focus, and mood. Taking a break to exercise, even briefly, can make a significant difference.
If you have a longer lunch hour, consider a brisk walk, a yoga class, or a gym session. But even if you only have 10 minutes, you can stretch, do a few bodyweight exercises (think push-ups and squats), or walk a few flights of stairs.
The point isn’t to set a new fitness record — it’s to move in a way that signals to your body and mind that you’ve stepped away from work mode. Exercise helps release tension, stimulates blood flow, and provides a much-needed change of pace. It also releases endorphins, which make us feel happier and more energized!
You’ll likely find that even a short burst of movement makes the afternoon’s work feel less strenuous.
4. Connect with Someone Outside of Work
Work can sometimes feel isolating, even if we’re surrounded by colleagues all day. Most of our conversations are about cases, clients, or deadlines, rather than personal goals or issues. Taking a real break sometimes means stepping out of the professional bubble and reconnecting with the world outside of work.
This might mean calling a friend just to say hello, texting a family member, or grabbing lunch with someone who isn’t a lawyer (or a lawyer friend who agrees to not talk about law!). Even a brief exchange can remind you that there’s more to your life than billable hours, negotiations, and court filings.
Human connection is restorative. It shifts your perspective, lifts your mood, and recharges your emotional energy. By taking the time to nurture relationships during your break, you return to work with a fuller sense of balance.
5. Do Something Joyful (Not Work-Related!)
Finally, give yourself permission to do something simply because you enjoy it. That could mean reading a chapter of a novel, sketching in a notebook, listening to music, or watching a funny video. The only rule is that it should have nothing to do with work.
Attorneys often struggle with the idea of “wasting time,” but joy is not a waste. Joy is fuel. As my dad says, “Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” Engaging in something that makes you smile or laugh can shift your mood faster than almost anything else.
If you give yourself space for joy during your break, you’ll notice the difference in how you approach the rest of your day. Work will feel less like a grind and more like just one part of a full, balanced life.
Making Breaks Work for You
When you take a break from the office, the most important thing to remember is that it’s not indulgent — breaks are necessary. Just as athletes schedule recovery time to perform at their best, attorneys need intentional breaks to sustain their focus, energy, and well-being.
The good news is that none of these strategies requires huge amounts of time. You don’t need to block off an entire day (though that’s nice when possible). Instead, you can take 10, 15 or 30 minutes and use them intentionally.
Photo by Glenn Diaz on Unsplash
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