We're well into the cut and thrust of the international break. Many of Chelsea's stars have enjoyed minutes for their national team already.
The period has already seen joy and disappointment for those not afforded any period of rest, but what of those that have been? Thomas Tuchel made his plans clear for the start of the period before players start to reconvene at Cobham to prepare for Brentford.
"There will be long walks in the forest around here [with my dog] which is beautiful," Tuchel ahead of Middlesbrough. "Hopefully, the weather stays like this (sunshine). I'll be doing the normal stuff: taking care of the children, taking them to school, picking them up. Being around them is the best distraction I can have.
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"I learned to do this [disconnect]. I had to. I found it very hard in the beginning as a professional coach. I struggled a lot with it, to not be able to switch off, to not think about it night and day. It is always like this. If you love something so much and have a passion for football, and then it becomes your profession, it is not at five or six o'clock that you leave and drive home and tomorrow you're finished.
"There are still games on, thoughts about players and what to do. It is sometimes still like it but I have trained myself that it is not good to stay in the process and in the mind and thinking process too long. Everybody needs to disconnect, breathe and see clearer.
"I had to learn it for myself and I am still training myself. I need to be disciplined in it and like I said my dogs and kids help as a natural source of inspiration and enjoyment to calm down. You have to take care of yourself to not get totally lost in it."
It looks like some members of his squad, have taken a different route to get away from the hustle and bustle of football. Trevoh Chalobah wasted little time making it to New York to take in the sites and attended Madison Square Garden to watch an NBA match between the New York Knicks and the Utah Jazz at the start of the week. Hakim Ziyech and Romelu Lukaku travelled together to take in a match of their own as they watched the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Centre and participated in the NBA challenge.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek headed to enjoy the sites of Dubai, but appears to have travelled with James Ralph of Athletes Edge, to maintain a great deal of strength and conditioning work with morning's out on a pitch and some time in the gym on an afternoon. There has also been time spent in fancy restaurants, in the desert and Atlantis aquaventure waterpark.
Newcastle United have also been in Dubai during this period and based at NAS Sports complex, likely where Loftus-Cheek is also training. Ross Barkley has used the facility before, while Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have also made the trip for warm weather training in the past.
The NAS Sports complex is home to a number of FIFA-standard football pitches, an indoor stadium, IAAF-standard athletics track, diving pool, as well as impressive recovery technology including an altitude chamber and cryo chamber.
Marcus Bettinelli appears to have relaxed with his family and Ross Barkley has kept on his fitness by running in the gym and enjoyed some nicer weather. Chelsea's injured stars are sure to have been continuing their rehabilitation in order to give them their best chance of making the clash against Brentford upon the Premier League's return.
Thiago Silva even managed to get some time away on his Brazil duties to receive a special honour in his home country. The 37-year-old saw a mould of his feet place on the Maracana Walk of Fame alongside legends such as Pele, Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi and Franz Beckenbauer.
