I dreamed of reading books on South Coast beaches and hiking through the Snowy Mountains.

Then Andrew Barr stood up and announced the city was being shut down.

Forced to take leave in lockdown, I started planning my rest time with vigour. I penned a to-do list with six main goals and bulleted sub-targets.

It was super relaxing.

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But by the end the week, my well-meaning plans were scattered across the courtyard. Dried acrylic on a half-finished paint by numbers, concrete smudged with Bunnings soil, soggy sachets of herb seedlings, tippled over sickly strawberry plants and an unopened terrarium kit.

I jolt as my phone reminds me to "be kind to your mind and take a moment to meditate". Hmm, no thanks. I choose to watch Netflix and hate myself.

While I didn't hit my unrealistic holiday targets, University of Canberra psychologist Associate Professor Jennifer Loh said having time off was still the right move.

"Just take the break and use it," she said.

Focus on why you took the sabbatical.

"If you take that leave for your health, your mental health, then you strategise and prioritise what is best for [it]," Dr Loh said.

"So I'm going to do some destressing exercise, I'm going to do some walking. Or I'm going to do some mindfulness kind of training.

"[Or] you might want to set up a timetable structure so that by the time you go back, your kids have a bit of a timetable or schedule."

Unable to take time off for financial reasons or because of unpaid responsibilities, such as caring for children? Try scheduling "micro leave".

It could be half an hour sitting in the sun, or 10 minutes with a cup of tea or glass of wine.

"This tiny micro leave is actually quite important. And you engage with mindfulness in terms of appreciating what is important in your life," she said.

For some in essential work or running their own business, taking time off might feel irresponsible.

"By nature many ... essential workers, and first line responders are about giving themselves and giving to their community," Dr Loh said.

"Consider how far can I push myself before I collapse.

"And if you are going to collapse within the next month or so, I think it is highly, highly important that people consider their health.

"The leave doesn't have to be a month, it can be a week. For some people it might be just over the weekend."

I slogged through my first shift back at work, and while I don't feel back to my usual self I do feel somewhat rejuvenated.

Which is lucky because I have a bunch of unfinished projects to work through ... be right back, just have to write another list.

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