The pause is also part of the music
Breaks are often seen as moments of disruption, where intense activity gives way to inactivity or inaction. However, these transition periods, whether long or short, planned or forced, can play a fundamental role in learning and rejuvenation.
As moments of temporal interstices, they offer unique opportunities for personal development, inner reflection and intellectual renewal. The question of why and how these breaks contribute to learning and well-being deserves further investigation in the light of philosophy, psychology and educational sciences.
Long pauses and temporal gaps: a space for integration
In the context of learning, long breaks play a central role in providing an opportunity for the integration of knowledge and experiences. These breaks are spaces where the brain can rest, but also reorganize, readjust and assimilate the accumulated information. Indeed, according to research in cognitive neuroscience, the human mind needs time to assimilate and process information in a deep and lasting way. As neurobiologist John J. Ratey indicates in Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (2010), rest periods help strengthen neural connections and make learning more solid.
In an educational setting, this can result in longer break periods that allow learners to digest not only the knowledge acquired, but also the emotions and personal reflections associated with this learning. This process of “active rest” is essential, especially in modern education systems, where cognitive overload is a growing problem.
The idea of ”temporal interstices”, proposed by philosophers like Henri Bergson and developed more recently by researchers in developmental psychology, suggests that these moments between two periods of activity are essential for thought processes to stabilize and find their place in the mind.
Family celebrations and holidays: a return to meaning
Family celebrations, like large reunions or traditional celebrations, are times when the usual pace of life slows down and human interactions take on a new dimension. In these moments of rupture, social time is often reorganized around rituals and symbols, and these events can offer reflection on oneself and on the place of the individual in the community.
These collective moments are essential to nourish the interpersonal dimension of learning. Holidays are often creative breaks, because they allow individuals to escape their routine, to collectively reflect on the human condition, and to strengthen their connections with their social environment.
Leave, whether chosen or imposed, is another form of beneficial break. Those who decide to take a sabbatical in order to recharge their batteries or reorient their professional life know well the importance of this break. These periods of downtime can be seen as a disconnection from the world of work and a possibility of reassessing one’s priorities.
As highlighted in the work of economist Daniel Kahneman, in Thinking, Fast and Slow (2011), taking a step back and suspending the incessant flow of daily tasks allows for better decision-making in the long term.
Forced breaks: a catalyst for personal development
Forced breaks, whether the result of illness, accident, or social or political crisis, while unexpected and often unwelcome, can also play a key role in learning and personal growth. These interruptions to daily life often create a space where one’s perception of the world and oneself is modified.
Psychologists like Viktor Frankl, in Man’s Search for Meaning (1946), showed that even in the most difficult circumstances, the experience of forced downtime can lead to a new awareness and reorientation of meaning. the life. These moments, although sometimes painful, sometimes bring renewal.
The concept of resilience, as defined by Boris Cyrulnik in “A Marvelous Misfortune” (2001), is based on an individual’s ability to bounce back after a trauma or crisis. A forced break can be an opportunity for a person to rebuild themselves, reassess their values and explore new avenues of learning and personal development. The process of pausing, even if it is imposed, thus becomes fertile ground for inner transformation.
Chosen sabbatical leaves: a time to reorient one’s existence
The chosen sabbatical leave, often taken after several years of intensive work, can offer a unique opportunity to reconnect with oneself. These prolonged periods of professional non-activity allow individuals to reinvent themselves, reorient themselves professionally or explore new areas of interest. A sabbatical allows the individual to break away from external pressures and create a space for personal reflection, which can encourage a new start or a reorientation of their professional trajectory.
The benefits are multiple: increased awareness, exploration of new passions, learning new skills, but also taking a step back from the objectives and expectations imposed by society or the professional environment. This break thus becomes a form of “outside the box” learning, where downtime is necessary to nurture creativity and long-term vision.
Breaks to take care of yourself: a necessary well-being
In a society often marked by the race for productivity and performance, breaks dedicated to taking care of yourself become essential. They can materialize in the form of physical or emotional care, moments of rest or relaxation.
These moments of “self-care” are essential to maintain psychological balance and avoid exhaustion (Lemire, 2018). Breaks dedicated to self-care allow the individual to deeply recharge their batteries, re-establishing solid foundations for their learning and development.
Spiritual retreats: a return to basics
Finally, spiritual retreats, often organized in places dedicated to meditation or contemplation, represent another type of deep break, where the objective is to reconnect with a higher dimension of oneself. These periods of introspection, where we withdraw from the daily hustle and bustle to focus on what is essential, offer unique spaces for personal reflection.
In his work, the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas emphasizes that temporary distance from society allows us to reconnect with otherness and the human dimension of our existence. The spiritual retreat thus becomes a time of intellectual and spiritual purification, where one can rediscover a deep meaning in one’s life.
Learning in the break
Breaks, whether scheduled or forced, can be powerful times for learning and rejuvenation. They allow an interior reconfiguration, a readjustment of priorities, and an intellectual and spiritual renewal.
Through long breaks, family celebrations, sabbaticals, or spiritual retreats, the individual has the opportunity to reconnect with themselves, integrate accumulated learning and restart on new foundations. Ultimately, these downtimes are not a waste of time, but an opportunity to deepen learning, enrich personal reflection, and strengthen overall well-being.
Proposal for a life-saving challenge: press the pause button on our cell phones during the holidays.
Sources
Frankl, V. (1946). Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press. – https://amzn.to/41kNd1w
Ratey, J. J. (2008). Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Little, Brown and Company.
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Bergson, H. (1932). The Creative Evolution. Macmillan. – https://amzn.to/3ZwlYOO
Cyrulnik, B. (2001). A wonderful misfortune. Odile Jacob. – https://amzn.to/4g9skuS
Lemire, F. (2018). Self-compassion. Canadian Family Physician, 64(12), 937-937.
Bachelard, G. (1957). The poetics of space. Presses Universitaires de France. – https://amzn.to/3Vzxo3d
Thomas, L., & Micheau-Thomazeau, S. (2018). Tool 34. Sabbatical leave. BàO The Motivation Toolbox, 120-121.
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Spark, J. J. R. (2010). The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain/John J. Ratey, Eric Hagerman
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Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. – https://amzn.to/4gisHmA
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