How to benefit from your break.
If we keep track of our daily schedule really thoroughly, we might be shocked how much time we waste in five to fifteen-minute breaks. I am saying “waste” not by accident here, since we are often wasting our time during breaks instead of recharging batteries.
The good news is that brief mental breaks taken in a reasonable way still help us re-focus, regain motivation and reevaluate goals.
Rest at work is a necessity, without which efficient work is not possible.
And we should never feel guilty because of it. If our mind is overloaded with information and stimuli, we do tasks less effectively than usual, and things on our to-do-list just keep accumulating.
It is clear that without downtime we are less efficient and less engaged, but let us face it — taking intentional and productive breaks is something completely different than accidental scrolling through Facebook for ten or twenty minutes.
Another problem is that taking too many breaks at work will not bring about anything good either. Especially if we are made to stop doing our tasks due to some noise at the office, a poor level of sound privacy or other disruptions. After such a pause we often end up back where we started.
That is why, it is good to plan a break in advance. Planning is not only significant when it comes to completing tasks. It is good to think about what time of the day is fast-paced and what is prone to intervals. For some people breaks taken in the mid-morning are more likely to boost energy and improve concentration, and for others these might be intermissions in the mid-afternoon.
I deeply believe that breaks at work should be well-thought out and they should be good for us, as well as other people around.
We should keep in mind that when taking a break we shouldn’t interrupt someone else's train of thought.
Are breaks time-wasters? No, as long as they are not accidental and interruptive. After all, downtime helps to increase our productivity, improve reasoning skills and make us happier — not more stressed.
Originally published at brightinventions.pl
By Urszula Stankiewicz, Social Media and Branding Girl at Bright Inventions
