Because everyone deserves a break, even if it’s just to send someone a meme.
The colder the weather gets, the more our little breaks become oases in the day. And those little breaks have endless possibilities. Next time you feel your shoulders hunching a little too much or you realise you’ve tried to finish the same simple task three times already, take a break. As an expert in silly little breaks and also biscuits, here are my tried and true pairings for those times you really need a break.
A cup of tea
The universal shorthand for a break. From the job site to the office kitchenette to your own lounge, a cup of tea is a cup of tea is a cup of tea. Unless it’s your 10th of the day, you’ll never regret a tea break. It can be shared, sure, but having a cup of tea is entirely about stopping doing whatever it is you’re doing and having a little reset. A blessing to all.
Biscuit pairing: Gingernut. Soften it with the tea while you soften your mind.
People watch
You may think you don’t enjoy people watching but if you don’t enjoy people watching then you really aren’t enjoying life. At any given moment you can raise your eyes and watch a person. Sometimes it’s your colleague with poor posture who taps loudly on their desk without realising. Sometimes it’s a pedestrian out the window purchasing an $18 lunch. Sometimes it’s your own small child doing the mildly crazed things that small children do. Whoever it is, whatever they’re doing, it’s a fascinating anthropological experiment you’re undertaking.
Biscuit pairing: Hundreds and Thousands. Aren’t we all just tiny colourful specks on a giant floating biscuit?
Gossip with a colleague
Oh the absolute joy of having a colleague to glance at when something goes down at work. Passive aggressive email sent to all staff? “Accidentally” head to the kitchen to refill your water at the same time and spend a thrilling five minutes analysing every word of it. It’s not a productive use of time, except it is because colleagues to gossip with keep our spirits alive.
Biscuit pairing: Lemon Treat. Always sweet but also a little bit salty
Send someone a meme
If you are chronically online, you’re seeing the best and the worst of the internet before your friends and family. Delight them by sharing some of the latest memes going around. My family is barely online so I can send them a meme from 2017 and they’ll love it. It’s easy, free and spreads a little silliness.
Biscuit pairing: MallowPuff. There’s a childlike wonder in eating one that we could all use every once in a while.
Think about your grandparents
If you’re old enough to be working and needing a break, you may have already farewelled your beloved grandparents. If so, take a moment to remember them from time to time. Two generations can feel like whole different worlds (and often are) but grandparents are so much closer to us than we think. What parts of them are in you?
Biscuit pairing: Cameo Creme. If your grandparents ever lived in New Zealand, they 100% gave you Cameo Cremes when you visited.
Just take a seat
For those who work all day on their feet and for those who spend their days running after children, sometimes all you really want to do is just… sit. Maybe it’s a car sit, or a porch sit or a waiting-for-your-toddler-to-find-their-favourite-toy sit. Whatever it is, just don’t move.
Biscuit pairing: Krispie. Solid, sturdy, a simple biscuit for a simple break.
Pay a bill (or other dreary adult task)
This might sound like the opposite of a break but sometimes the most tedious of personal life tasks take literally 90 seconds. Setting up a new automatic payment, finally deleting that Facebook Marketplace listing you keep getting messages about, recording that faded receipt in your wallet for your next tax return. If you didn’t do them, life would go on, but imagine if you did?
Biscuit pairing: Vanilla Wine. May not sound fun but they are foundational to a functioning society.
Get some vitamin D
As we head into winter, the days are getting shorter and shorter and soon it will feel like every daylight hour is spent indoors. If you already work outside, this suggestion is more about intention than reality. But if you spend your days indoors and barely see the sun, use an occasional break to head outside for a reminder that the sun is real and is quite nice, actually. You don’t even have to walk! But do wear sunscreen, even when it’s cold.
Biscuit pairing: Shrewsbury. It literally looks like a sun and for some reason (maybe it’s the crumbs) it vibes like it should be eaten outdoors.
Learn a magic trick
No, you don’t need to buy a cape or put on a voice, but knowing just one simple magic trick will set you up for a life of mildly impressed acquaintances and hugely impressed children. There are tutorials online for all sorts of sleights of hand involving playing cards, handkerchiefs and rubber bands. You’ll never be punished for not knowing a magic trick, but it’s pretty cool if you do.
Biscuit pairing: Thins. Did you eat one or three? Who knows, they just disappeared.
Check the mail
Whether you’re working from home, taking care of the kids, or cramming for a big exam, sometimes your lovely home can feel stifling. The postal service may not be as thriving as it once was, but it’s still a thrill to check the letterbox. Take that tiny walk, stretch your legs, and cross your fingers for a surprise package.
Biscuit pairing: Squiggle. Unpredictable but always a thrill.
