I took two weeks off recently and, for the first time in a while, I properly switched off. Not just “wasn’t at work” switched off. Actually switched off. No emails, no social media, no news apps and no keeping half an eye on what was going on.

We spent part of the break in South Devon, walking sections of the South West Coast Path. Lots of walking, sea, good food and not much else. And I really noticed the difference.

My world became a bit smaller for a couple of weeks — and I think that was exactly what I needed. I wasn’t constantly seeing what everyone else was doing, comparing, thinking about work or absorbing other people’s opinions. I was just getting on with living my own life. And I felt much more present in it.

The mental load of “just checking”

It made me realise that being away from work and actually switching off are two quite different things.

“I’ll just check my emails.” “I’ll just have a quick scroll.” “I’ll just see what’s happening.”

None of these things feels like a big deal. But each time we do it, we give our brain something else to process. An email to remember to respond to. Something happening at work that we start thinking about. Someone else’s life or business to compare ours to.

Individually, they’re tiny. Together, they create quite a lot of mental noise.

Maybe we need to take less in

I think we often assume that when we’re tired or overwhelmed, we need to do less. And sometimes we absolutely do. But perhaps sometimes we also need to take less in.

Less information, less comparison, less noise and less awareness of everything happening everywhere else.

There is so much coming at us all the time — emails, messages, social media, news, podcasts, notifications and other people’s opinions, lives and achievements. Even when none of it is particularly negative, our brains still have to process it.

When I took most of that away, there was suddenly much more space for what was actually in front of me. To walk, talk, think, notice things and enjoy what I was doing without part of my attention constantly being somewhere else.

I came home feeling like I’d genuinely had a break, but also with a bit more perspective on what actually deserves my attention.

A useful reminder for me that rest isn’t just about not working. Sometimes it’s about making your world a little smaller for a while.