Dress (sold out, similar version without zippers linked) || Coat (ON SALE) || TIghts || Boots ||  Necklace

You guys, it’s here, well not quite but it’s right around the corner…it’s ALMOST the busiest time of the year. It’s not only busy for retail employees but for basically everyone. From workers (the TCC Crew is jammed) to students (finals and term papers); to say this time of year is exhilarating is an understatement but don’t let the craziness of this holiday season wear you down. 

& while I’m 100% one to dive headfirst into overloading on work, I have to say recently I’ve discovered a new trick to rejuvenating my work ethic. It’s super simple, but recently I’ve been stepping outside for my 15 min schedule breaks and it’s been a game changer.

As many of you know, I work from home which is both a pleasing and a curse. Personally, I thrive on deadlines and structure, so I created a scheduled workday, from the minute I get up until 5:30 PM I’m go-go-go and because of this I often found myself skipping lunch and limiting my productivity.

One day I was so run down, I knew this had to stop, so I decided to start including three fifteen-minute breaks throughout the day. These breaks were mainly meant to reset my eyes from the constant glare of a computer screen but quickly developed into much more. Over the last few months, I’ve been stepping outside for my three breaks and to be honest it’s resulted in a HUGE improvement in my productivity. 

The goal of our TCC Crew is to bring you content that inspires you towards living a New England lifestyle, which of course means being the most productive version of yourself, so we had to share why these outside recess times improved our workflow, along with 5 reasons you should take YOUR coffee break outside. 

1) Produces a Clear Headspace: I often find that taking a 15 min break, in your workspace limits your ability to reboot. Ideally, when the time has arrived for me to take my break, I make sure to get outside and change my scenery. Whether that means going for a walk or running to Dunkin Donuts; by getting outside an interacting with people outside of my workplace, provides me with a new sense of determination and clarity. 

2) ‘Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy’ – Elle Woods:  Now, I’m not a fan of running, in fact, I’m not quite sure if I could even squeeze in a full mile during one 15 minute break, but what I do know is that I spend each of my breaks moving. I’ll spend that time outside running to a coffee shop, walking around my yard or if it’s raining walking on a treadmill. By moving my body and getting my blood pumping, I can really feel those endorphins kick in and any stress I had previously start to release. 

3) Speaking of Stress: Recently, I’ve been overwhelmed with my inbox. When I first started blogging, I really disliked when bloggers would say their inboxes were stressing them out. Personally, I figured a full inbox meant lots of collaborations and thus a highly profitable business. However today, I realize that my inbox is 20% official collaborations, 20% reader questions, and 60% emails I need to politely decline. 

A huge chunk of my time is spent going through my inbox and saying ‘no’ to companies, brands or even events that just don’t make sense for the TCC brand. Saying no to brands, even huge brands that we personally love, but just aren’t the right fit is hard, can be really hard. So by getting outside and turning my data off, it gives me time to process the no’s we’ve given and received. Not only does it give me time to process but also allows me to refocus on our brand’s end goal. Going outside creates a buffer between admin-work and creative work. 

4) A New Perspective: My favorite Gilmore Girl once said ‘Perspective is the most important thing to have in life.’ and I literally couldn’t agree more with Lauren Graham! A change in perspective and scenery is really important in gaining new insights. A lot of what our TCC Crew creates and writes about is by getting in the car and going. Whether that means traveling to a new town in New England, to feature in our TCC Newsletter or by even asking readers’ their opinion; these tiny acts and outside perspectives, honest to God, shape our brand every day! Get outside and refocus, re-shift and reprioritize your perspective! 

5) Just breath:  Okay this might sound weird but there is nothing I love more than stepping outside and breathing in that crisp autumn air. I’m the first to admit that working at home often means getting cozy with my laptop, under a mountain of blankets and with the thermostat set at a solid 72 degrees; doesn’t that just sound perfect?! 

While it sounds perfect it often puts me in a lethargic mood, so my last reason for taking your coffee break outside is to re-energize your body with fresh air. I know it might be a little chilly outside, so grab your jacket and maybe a scarf (learn how 5 ways to style a scarf here) and hit the road. Trust me your creative juices will start flowing. 

Okay, that’s all I got! I’d love to hear from you guys. Do you like taking your breaks outside? Let me know your thoughts on this post below! xx Aubrey. 

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