How movement, nature and botanical rituals can help you reset, refocus and return with fresh perspective.
Have you ever reached the point where you find yourself reading the same email three times, making simple mistakes or staring at your screen without really taking anything in?
Our first instinct is often to push through. Another cup of coffee, another hour at the desk or one more task before taking a break.
Yet research suggests that this approach isn't always the most productive.
Like our muscles, our attention becomes tired after prolonged use. The longer we focus without a meaningful break, the harder it becomes to concentrate, make decisions and think clearly. Rather than seeing breaks as time lost, evidence increasingly suggests they are an important part of maintaining attention, productivity and wellbeing throughout the day.
The key isn't simply taking a break—it's how we spend it.
Why our attention fades
Much of our day relies on what psychologists call directed attention—the mental effort we use to concentrate, solve problems, ignore distractions and make decisions.
Unlike physical energy, attention is a limited resource.
As the day progresses, especially after long periods of screen work or mentally demanding tasks, we naturally begin to experience mental fatigue. Concentration becomes harder, small mistakes become more common and switching between tasks can feel increasingly overwhelming.
This is why simply trying harder isn't always the answer. Sometimes our brain needs an opportunity to recover before it can perform at its best again.
Better breaks, not longer breaks
A restorative break doesn't need to last an hour.
Often, ten or fifteen minutes is enough to interrupt the cycle of continuous concentration and help restore mental energy.
The most effective breaks are usually those that encourage us to do something different rather than continuing to consume information.
Scrolling through emails or social media may feel like a break, but your brain is often still processing new information.
Instead, consider activities that gently shift your attention.
Stretch your body.
Water the plants.
Prepare a cup of herbal tea.
Step outside.
Look at something other than a screen.
These small changes help create the mental distance needed before returning to your work with renewed focus.
Why changing your surroundings matters
One of the most interesting areas of wellbeing research explores the relationship between nature and attention.
Attention Restoration Theory, developed by environmental psychologists Rachel and Stephen Kaplan, suggests that natural environments allow our directed attention to recover because they engage our minds in a gentler, more effortless way.
You don't need a long countryside walk to experience this.
Standing in your garden.
Walking around the block.
Sitting beneath a tree during your lunch break.
Even opening a window and looking beyond your workspace for a few minutes can provide a welcome change of perspective.
A different environment encourages your brain to briefly shift gears before returning to focused work.
Don't overlook hydration
When concentration starts to fade, many of us automatically reach for another coffee.
Sometimes, however, our body is asking for something much simpler.
Research suggests that even mild dehydration can affect concentration, alertness and mood.
Keeping a glass of water nearby and taking a few minutes to prepare a botanical herbal tea can become a simple reminder to pause and care for yourself before continuing with your day.
Watching loose-leaf tea slowly infuse in a glass teapot also encourages something we rarely allow ourselves—waiting.
Instead of immediately filling those few minutes with another task or checking your phone, use them to stretch, breathe or simply let your mind wander.
The power of sensory cues
Our sense of smell has a remarkable connection with memory and emotion.
Many of us have experienced how a familiar aroma can instantly remind us of a particular place or moment in time.
The same principle can become part of a wellbeing ritual.
By using the same botanical fragrance each time you take a Refresh break—perhaps a room mist, facial mist, aromatherapy roll-on or essential oil blend—that aroma gradually becomes associated with taking a step back, slowing your breathing and returning to your work with greater focus.
The fragrance itself isn't doing all the work.
Instead, it becomes a familiar sensory cue that supports a positive habit you've intentionally created.
Return with intention
After a restorative break, it's tempting to tackle everything waiting on your to-do list.
Research into attention and productivity suggests a different approach.
Choose one task.
Complete it before moving on to the next.
Reducing unnecessary task-switching can help lower cognitive overload and make it easier to maintain concentration throughout the rest of your day.
Sometimes the most productive thing we can do isn't working harder.
It's returning with greater clarity.
Bringing it all together
Restorative breaks aren't about escaping work.
They're about supporting the way our minds naturally function.
A glass of water.
A pot of botanical tea.
A short walk outside.
A familiar botanical fragrance.
One priority at a time.
Individually, these habits may seem small. Together, they become a simple ritual that helps create space to reset, refocus and return with fresh perspective.
Discover Your Refresh Ritual
The Refresh Ritual Collection brings together these evidence-informed wellbeing habits with botanical products that help transform everyday breaks into meaningful rituals.
Whether you need to restore focus during a busy working day or simply enjoy a fresh start, explore our step-by-step Refresh Ritual and discover simple ways to reset, refocus and return with renewed perspective.
Further Reading
If you'd like to explore this topic in more depth, these organisations and resources provide practical, evidence-informed guidance on productivity, attention and building healthier ways of working.
Healthy ways of working
- Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) – Practical guidance on workplace wellbeing, healthy working practices and preventing burnout.
- Acas – Advice for employers and employees on managing workload, taking effective breaks and creating healthy working environments.
- The British Psychological Society (BPS) – Articles and insights exploring attention, behaviour, cognitive performance and the psychology behind how we work.