Musings | Take a Break - Get More Done
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes . . . including you”
Life, it seems, is full of paradoxes. Today, we will unpack this one: Want to be more productive? Take more breaks. Counterintuitive for sure, but backed by research and proven to work.
Why We Should Rest At Work
Quite simply, we need breaks throughout the day because our brains get tired, lose focus, and become more distracted. Research has shown that too much work without breaks diminishes our output. When comparing the productivity of those working 60 hours a week to those working 40 hours a week, researchers found that the 40-hour week cohort was more effective. Why? Longer hours created more stress and fatigue, leading to more mistakes, and mistakes take time to fix and limit productivity.
Throughout the day, we all need opportunities to break from work and technology (yes, away from your phone, Facebook does not count as a break) to clear our minds, reset our perspectives, and regain our focus. When we take breaks, our brain consolidates existing knowledge and experiences with new information it has uncovered. When we break, our brains latently go to work, making connections and creating links. Without breaks, we limit our focus and deny ourselves the opportunity to connect old and new ideas. Now that we know that there are several benefits to taking breaks throughout the day let’s look at how to do it.
Work to Rest Ratio
There are several recommendations around the work to rest ratio. The best one for you is the one that is easiest for you to integrate. In general, experts suggest that a 15-20 minute break be taken every 50 to 90 minutes of work. Some find working in shorter intervals (25 minutes of work to 5 minutes of rest) more effective, while others find microbreaks ( one or two minutes) most effective.
How to Rest
The purpose of rest, in this case, is a brain break and a focus reset. There are several ways you can do this; we’ve listed a few below (check out the resources at the conclusion of this document for more ideas)
Have a snack
Call a friend
Don’t check your email!
Exercise (taking 1 minute every 30 minutes to do an activity that elevates your heart rate (jumping jacks, standing squats, push-ups) has been shown to increase cognition and reduce stress)
Read a book
Walk outside
Listen to music
Watch a short video
Small breaks throughout the day will help you maintain productivity, fight off afternoon brain fog and enhance your ability to focus. Cumulatively, small leaves can make a huge difference. Taking one 15-minute break five days a week over a year is equivalent to about ten days off! Small breaks give you a short holiday every day and help keep you healthy and engaged in your day. For more information about breaks and how to take them, check out the resources below: