Taking a Break From Work is the Key to Productivity

If you are the type of person who does not usually take breaks and thinks that it can lessen your productivity, you may want to change this (surprisingly unhealthy) habit. Studies show that taking breaks even for 10 minutes can get you back on track and provide you with renewed energy. 

While most of us may think that it is just a waste of time, if you check the impact and benefits of taking breaks, you will be surprised at how this can benefit an employee.

Physical and Mental Benefits of Taking Short Breaks at Work

Breaks can improve your concentration.

When you take breaks, your brain is allowed to rest from stress and fatigue. Our minds have two functioning modes:modes: the focused and diffused mode. 

The focused mode is used while working or learning something. The diffused mode, on the other hand, is more relaxed, and if we do not think that hard, it kind of goes into daydream mode. 

Some studies say that diffused mode plays a more significant role in the way we focus on tasks throughout the day.

So if you continuously work and do not make any adjustment on keeping your mind at rest, you will fall into a mental fatigue state. One common habit used by employees is having lunch at their desks. 

While grabbing lunch, you should be able to rest your mind so it is important not to work while you are eating. This is your off time so make the best of it. Your lunch break gives your brain a chance to recuperate and energize itself.  

Taking breaks improves accuracy.

When you are able to focus better, you are most likely to eliminate work-related stress. Most accidents or issues happen when you have extreme work-related stress. When you are stressed out, you can't think clearly, and you may go into panic mode. 

So, you are most likely to lose concentration and focus on what you are doing. Thus, it is crucial to take a break to ease up the tension.

Take a nap once in a while; it will relax your mind and release tension from the body. Some studies have shown that taking a 40-minute rest can improve your awareness. A 20-minute nap, for instance, can make a big difference.  So, the clearer your mind is, the fewer mistakes you will make while you are working. Since you have a clear mind, you can concentrate better and become more creative. Also, taking breaks for a while helps you relax and reboot your brain.

Quality breaks can lower stress levels

Whether you choose to walk or take a nap, taking breaks is essential, especially for working professionals. When you are stressed out, you are at risk of high blood pressure or dangerous cholesterol levels. 

When you take your health for granted, you leave room for chronic and fatal diseases such as heart disease.

Take a minute to stretch; go for a brisk walk or visit your co-worker’s cubicle. It is an excellent way to release stress by pausing your daily work. This will also help clear your mind and help you become more productive.

Focusing non-stop focus on your work will leave you drained. If you take a break, it will relax your mind, lower your stress levels, and your account will be sharper, more focused, and more energized.

Taking breaks helps you manage stress.

Go for a power nap. Some studies show that taking a 20-minute nap in the afternoon actually provides more rest than sleeping an extra 20 minutes in the morning. This reduces stress and gives your mind and body a boost, leading to fewer work-related errors.

Breaking from focus mode helps our brains integrate the information we are ingesting, which, in turn, can make us retain more information for later use.

Prevents employee burnout

Busy times and overcrowded schedules cannot be prevented all the time; you have to put in extra hours and work a little harder to meet deadlines. But if you keep it up for too long, you'll risk burning out. 

You must know how to slow down. Taking regular breaks is useful to keep your own well being and maintain a steady flow of productivity.

Creating a positive environment, whether through a personal relationship with your co-workers or making your workplace conducive for work, is very important. It is essential to pinpoint what is causing stress in your workplace, as this might lead to a bigger problem if it is not resolved.

Burnouts can also be prevented by taking a vacation, leaving all your distractions. Did you know that when you work without rest, you become less productive compared to people who frequently go on holiday? They come back to work well-rested, energized, and ready to tackle any task at hand.

If you want to get the most out of your break, try one of these suggestions:

1. Take a walk outside to reduce stress and boost creativity.
2. Eat your lunch or a snack, and get hydrated. Fuel your brain with glucose.
3. Take a nap. Depending on how much time you can nap, you can improve your memory, boost alertness, and make up for lost sleep.
4. Try meditating; exercise your brain.
5. Declutter your desk to avoid distractions.

Just make sure you take your breaks regularly. Work hard for approximately 60-120 minutes and then take a recovery break for about 10-30 minutes. Staring at a screen all day not only takes a physical toll, but it affects your emotional health too. Get up and share ideas with a coworker. Also, give a word of encouragement. Do some stretching and check-in with yourself. Take some deep breaths. 

Do what you have to do to blow off steam and relieve some of the pressure. If you allow stress and pressure to build up, you are allowing yourself to get physically and mentally sick.

Conclusion

It only takes a few minutes to rediscover your purpose and connect with yourself. You will be amazed at how much more motivated you will feel. In the end, you might work better by spending less time on work. Therefore, we need to take breaks to be more productive.