Ross County manager Malky Mackay says the Staggies must use their prolonged break to prepare for a vital run of upcoming Premiership fixtures.
County were defeated 4-2 by Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday, but will now not play again until their rearranged match at home to Hibernian on November 24.
That match will signal the start of a busy run of fixtures, in which the Dingwall men will play 10 matches in less than six weeks prior to the winter break.
With County four points adrift of Dundee at the foot of the table, Mackay says it is vital his players make the most of the opportunity to reset.
Mackay said: “It’s a crazy period coming up – it’s incredible how it has landed.
“Over the next week or so we will be pushing the reset button.
“The task is to make sure that we balance this properly between training, giving them some time with their families and then putting some real hard work in and getting into the four-day game build up going into the Wednesday night.
“As soon as we saw the fixture list and the way it was going to land with the Hibs game and the international break, we looked at what we would give the players off compared to how much they’re in.
“They can become stale, and I want them to have some time with their families. A couple of days away is not the worst thing in the world for them.
“They’re finely tuned at the moment in terms of fitness, I think we saw that against Rangers, so we have to get the right balance of making sure they’re in here and working really hard for a couple of days and going back and seeing their families.”
Mackay takes heart from Ibrox showing
County netted twice against the Gers for the second time – which only Aberdeen have managed on league duty this season.
Despite bemoaning some of the goals his side lost during the defeat against Rangers, Mackay says the way his players executed his gameplan gives him encouragement for the weeks ahead.
He added: “People saw Rangers’ strengths – things we had discussed and knew were coming – and at times we did well against it and at other times we let ourselves down.
“On the flip side of that, in one sense I was very pleased with them in the fact that we went to Ibrox and we tried to affect the game.
“We didn’t sit on our own 18-yard line and park the bus, because I’ve been there and done it – when that happens, it can end up as four, five or six if one goes in.
“We went with a shape and a formation and a gameplan to actually go and try and affect parts of Rangers’ play.
“At times we did that, at other times we didn’t, and we should have been tidier, but at certain points we caused issues.
“We’ve got to take heart from the fact that we’ve scored two goals against them again – against a very good team with very good players – and tested ourselves.
“I’m frustrated with how the game went, but at the same time I’m realistic.”