4-2-2: Why Breaks Are Essential, But Make Them Work Related

Hi, 

Breaks can feel like wasted time.

Whether it’s an international break in football or a summer break in business, the instinct is to see it as a disruption to progress.

But more often than not, it’s in these pauses that teams reset, rebuild, and return stronger.

Est. Reading Time: 5 minutes

There’s no Premier League football this week.

The transfer window is shut, new players have been signed, but then they’re straight off for the international break.

For fans, that can feel like an unwelcome pause. But for players and teams? It can be exactly what’s needed. Not just to get them away from the brutally competitive Premier League fixtures, but as a chance to be in a new environment, recharge, and regain lost confidence.

During my international career playing for Northern Ireland, even when we were up against stronger European teams and suffering defeats, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to reset, regroup, and refocus.

Don’t confuse that with “downtime” because international breaks can be a grind. But when used well, it can be the turning point of a players season.

So this week, I’ve been reflecting on how taking a step away can actually be the thing that propels you forward. In football, and in business.

Here are three ways that well-timed breaks can build stronger teams.

1. New Surroundings Create New Energy

When I was at Norwich, I remember hitting a rough patch mid-season. It wasn’t just me underperforming though, the entire team was. We were getting beat, confidence was low and the dressing room became flat.

Then came the international break.

Players went off with their national teams. Some stayed behind and worked one-on-one with coaches. A few others got away completely, clearing their heads.

By the time we regrouped two weeks later, the energy had shifted. People came back recharged. The mood had lifted and performance followed.

Just like in business, a different environment can be the key to breaking a rut. That’s why offsites, strategy days, and even something as simple as a team lunch matter more than people realise.

It’s all well and good pushing your team to do more and be better, but often the number one thing they need is just a change of environment.

2. Confidence Can Be Rebuilt Away From the Pressure

Some players arrive at their national teams feeling flat. Maybe they haven’t been selected at their club. Maybe they are coming off a poor run of form. But with their country, they are trusted again. They get game time. They are encouraged to lead.

This boost in responsibility can reignite belief.

When I think about my own career, I remember how much of my confidence came not just from success, but from knowing someone trusted me. That belief can act as a springboard, especially when confidence has been knocked.

In a business environment, there is a lesson in that. Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone struggling is to give them a space where they can contribute meaningfully again. A small win in a low-stakes environment. A project they can own. Something that helps them remember what they bring to the team.

Confidence is not rebuilt under the same stress that caused it to disappear. It comes back in moments of safety and opportunity.

3. Stepping Back Can Help Teams Realign

One thing the fans massively overlook when it comes to international breaks is the impact it has on the coaches. Because while players are away, coaching staff and analysts back at the club have a rare opportunity to slow down and reflect.

• They review tactics.

• Rethink systems.

• Reconsider player roles.

By the time the team returns, there is often a renewed clarity. This is exactly what well-run businesses do with structured breaks. Team leaders use the time to reflect, assess performance, and identify areas of misalignment.

Are we all still pulling in the same direction? Have roles become blurred? Are we measuring the right things?

That clarity does not happen when everyone is buried in day-to-day delivery. It requires stepping back. It requires intentional space.

Now, this newsletter might have felt like a newsletter about football, in reality though… it was a newsletter about high performing teams.

Whether you're leading a squad of elite athletes or a senior leadership team, the principles are surprisingly similar. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for performance isn't another push forward. It's creating space to pause, step back, refocus, and return with greater clarity.

If your team is coming back from a summer break or planning an offsite, it's worth asking whether you're using those moments to reset and realign, or simply filling the calendar.

Because just like in sport, progress in business often depends on how well you handle the quiet moments in between.

All the best,

Paul