Taryn Brumfitt on reaching for a book instead of her phone and embracing regular micro-breaks

Taryn Brumfitt describes her time as Australian of the Year for 2023 as a period of "saying yes and squeezing out every hour of every day."

Upon reflection, prioritising rest was and continues to be essential.

"The only way I can work at the pace I do is having time and respect for the unwinding," she says.

Based in Adelaide, on the traditional Country of the Kaurna people, she remains on a mission to create a world free of judgement and shame about our bodies, through her films, books and health collective.

She shares how she takes breathers throughout the day and connects with her busy family.

Unwind with… is a monthly column that explores the simple ways people take care of themselves.

My favourite way to unwind…

I get my energy from just pottering around the house. I'll vacuum, put clothes away, have a little walk around in the garden with my morning coffee.

Pottering is the opposite of how I approach my work life, so it brings balance.

To switch off digitally…

I have long had this thought that if aliens landed on the planet they would wonder what we are holding onto. It's so normalised to always be on our phones, but about four months ago I started taking a book everywhere.

I used to also only ever run or walk with either a podcast or music, but now during my morning walk it's just me and the sounds of nature and I find that's when I get the best ideas.

To unwind at the end of the day…

I have four kids — they're 17, 15, 14 and 12 — so there's not a whole heap of time to unwind in the evenings. But it will usually be one of two things: on the couch with a bit of chocolate and mindless TV, or I love going to bed a bit earlier and reading.

I now take micro-breaks throughout my day…

Dr Kristy Goodwin's book Dear Digital, We Need to Talk goes into what digital is doing to our brains and has some really practical, thoughtful solutions.

I can think that I'm being uber productive because I'm go, go, go, but the book explains why you need to take regular micro-breaks.

I'll now regularly go for short walk, read a couple of pages of my book, make a coffee or a cup of tea, or I might take some deep, thoughtful breaths.

A ritual I have to connect with others…

It's increasingly hard to stay connected when someone is working or someone has sport, but sharing meals is our thing — especially going out for dumplings. Another fun ritual we have is go-karting.

To shift my mindset, it's been helpful to…

Replace the fear of missing out with the joy of missing out — no more FOMO, I have JOMO.

My advice on how to unwind…

We can all remind ourselves to put ourselves in the driver's seat. These are our bodies. We need to make choices that serve us instead of being taken off course by the next fad or whatever. I think it's about being intuitive and really standing tall and standing strong amongst a lot of messages that come our way.

Unwind with… is produced by Madeleine Dore, a writer, interviewer and author of I Didn't Do The Thing Today.