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Whilst you’re at work, how many breaks do you take? Do you just take your lunch break? Or, do you even take your lunch break at all?
It might sound like an odd statement, but taking breaks regularly is actually a productive thing to do. If you fail to take breaks, your brain decides to pack up for the day and give in, leaving you floundering and not able to focus on a single task.
There is a reason why employers give their employees a set number of annual leave days per year. This is because it’s unhealthy and downright ridiculous to expect someone to work constantly without having a break. Similarly, there is a reason why you have a lunch break, and don’t just sit at your office desk and stuff a sandwich in your mouth, whilst typing with the other hand!
Do you leave your desk on your lunch break? If you don’t, it’s time to start doing so! A change of environment could be just what you need to give your brain a boost and a breath of fresh air will breathe new life into the rest of your day.
Still not convinced? Let’s check out the importance of taking regular breaks in more detail, and look at the best way you can take them, to give you a more effective working day overall.
What is a Break?
What do you count as a break? Five minutes whilst you go and make coffee? Or a solid 15 minutes sat in a breakout area, having a change of scenery completely? A break is basically any amount of time that you take away from your regular working area. So, it could be that you go and do some photocopying in a different room, but take a break away from your computer screen, if the bulk of your work is spent at your desk. A break is also about not working at all, so it could be about those 15 minutes away, with a cup of coffee in your hand.
It is recommended that for every couple of hours you spend at a computer screen, you have a ten minutes’ break, or thereabouts. That doesn’t mean you don’t work, it means you take a break from your screen. Regular screen breaks are vital for the health of your mind, body, and your eyes too. Your vision will thank you!
What You Can Use a Break For
Now we know what a break is, and we know that you need them in your working day (more on the benefits shortly), what can you do during that time away from your desk? There are many productive tasks you can do during this time, which will allow you to take your refreshing break, but also get something done, and perhaps even tick something off your to do list!
• Sit in comfortable mesh office chairs in a break area and revaluate your priority list for that day
• Do a task which is away from your desk, e.g. we mentioned photocopying, or perhaps filing
• Do a coffee run for the office - take it in turns throughout the day
• Head out for a walk in the fresh air
• Take a nap break - does your office have napping rooms? If not, why not suggest it? There are all manner of different break facilities which can be incorporated into office space planning
A break is about giving yourself time to recuperate and refocus your brain, but it is also about refocusing on your work. It’s impossible to work flat out for a full day, with your brain turned to full potential, without crashing. A break will allow you to feed your brain with what it needs, e.g. time and rest, as well as nutritious food, and help you carry on with your work, and work to the best of your ability. Small, regular breaks help you stay focused. Think about it this way - if a task is huge, it seems like you’re never going to get it done, right? But, if you break it down into smaller chunks, and have a pit stop after every one of them, it’s much more do-able.
Benefits of Taking Regular Breaks
We know that taking regular breaks is good for focus, but what other benefits can come your way by taking time away from your regular office desks?
• A reduction in the chance of injury - Whether you work in a physical job or not, by taking regular breaks you are increasing your concentration, and that means you are less likely to make a mistake which could lead to an accident. If you do a physical job, then breaks give your body a rest, and cut down on the chances of strains, which over time can add up to a chronic pain condition. As you can imagine, twisting and lifting on a constant basis isn’t going to do your back much good if you don’t give it a rest from time to time! On a less physical point, sitting at a desk can put a lot of stress on your lower back, so regular breaks will allow you to stretch and reduce the chances of an injury that way too. Remember to check out office furniture London choices on the internet for the best ergonomic furniture ideas in commercial office furniture.
• Breaks boost your creativity - Your mind is not likely to come up with many new ideas if you’re not giving it time to recover! Think back to the times in the past when you’ve been struggling to come up with an idea or a solution to a problem, and you’ve sat and toiled over it for hours. You’ve then gone home and tried to forget about it, only for the answer to strike in the middle of the night, when you were least expecting it! This has happened to me so many times in the past, and taking regular breaks is known to boost your creativity, and make it much easier for you to come up with creative solutions to problems.
• Helps to protect your vision - Not taking a break on a regular basis whilst you’re sat at a computer screen is going to lead you towards eye strain pretty quickly. Your eyes will become tired, you’ll find it hard to focus, and you’ll simply want to fall asleep. Then, you’ll get a headache. Eyestrain isn’t something to be taken lightly, so take regular breaks to help protect your vision. If you notice you’re getting a lot of headaches at work, it might be worth having your eyes checked by an optician.
• A great stress lowering idea - If you don’t have regular breaks, how can you be expected to release any stress that’s been building up? It’s just going to turn into a volcano about to erupt, and the end result is not going to be pleasant! Regular breaks allow you to breath, take stock, and release that stress, before returning to work with a clear and unclouded view. Heading outside for a breath of fresh air on your break is a great way to reduce stress throughout your working day.
Effective Ways to Take Your Breaks
There are some particular good ways you can take your breaks, which will give you the best benefits possible from your time. Let’s check out a few ideas.
• Take your break early in the day - Generally, if you take a break before your body reaches burn out point, you will gain more from it than if you waited. Early in the day is a good time, so around the 11am point, when your mind might just start to show signs of clouding.
• Turn your mind away from work - It’s a great idea to head outside, or do something totally unconnected to your regular job, whilst you’re on your break. This will allow your mind to have the time it needs to refocus properly.
• Eat healthy food on your breaks - Pack some fruit, or eat some nuts, basically use the time to feed your brain with the foods that are going to nourish it, as well as the rest of your body.
• Take a nap - If you have a comfortable space to do so, why not have a nap? Not everyone finds this useful, as some people find that when they sleep for a short time, they wake up feeling more tired than before, but others find a power nap a great way to refocus their mind.
Breaks are a must do, it’s really that simple. Not taking breaks on a regular basis basically puts you on the fast track towards burnout, and being a workaholic is not something you should be working towards.
Have you got any other great suggestions for how to take breaks in a productive way? Let us know!