Breaks get treated like filler.
Like they’re not part of the real plan.
But if your session is longer than 90 minutes,
breaks are the plan.
Because no break = no energy.
No energy = no learning.
It’s that simple.
Tired minds don’t learn.
You can’t bulldoze your way through a day
and expect people to stay with you.
Cramming in “just one more thing”
kills the room.
Every. Time.
And the truth is:
Planning breaks first
makes the rest of the design easier.
Here’s how:
When you cut the day into chunks,
you create natural containers for each block of work.
You see the shape of your day before you even start.
And it forces you to answer key questions early:
1) What goes where?
2) What fits in each chunk?
3) What can you actually deliver in 60-90 minutes?
It saves you from the 3PM panic of
“uh-oh, we’re behind… again.”
Quick guide:
* Full day (8h)
4 blocks of 90 minutes.
2 coffee breaks.
1 proper lunch.
Easy.
* Half day (4h)
2 or 3 blocks.
Still room for one break.
* Three hours?
2 chunks + one short break + buffer time.
* Two hours or less?
One single chunk. Maybe a breath of air at the end.
People don’t complain about finishing early.
But they’ll remember the pain of finishing late.
So plan a buffer.
Plan an ending that breathes.
Leave space for Q&A, a stretch, or a moment of silence.
And whatever you do:
DON’T SKIP THE COFFEE BREAK.
Cut a case study.
Kill a slide.
Ditch the 12-minute intro.
But let people breathe.
Let them move. Let them talk.
That’s how they come back to life.
That’s how your session moves forward.
Breaks first. Content after.
Thank you.
And Free Palestine.