We all want to be more productive, don’t we? In America, most of us work more than 40 hours a week. In fact, according to the International Labor Organization, ”Americans work 137 more hours per year than Japanese workers, 260 more hours per year than British workers, and 499 more hours per year than French workers.” More and more, we are trying to get faster and get more efficient. We’re trying to get more done in less time. However, research is piling up that is very counterintuitive to this “hustle” culture that has permeated our society. Your brain is not built to run at full speed all day, it needs to rest and recover. That research shows us what happens to the brain without breaks, which includes loss of creativity, productivity and even retention. However, research on taking breaks shows all kinds of benefits. Breaks help you perform better, feel more motivated, they improve focus and reduce stress.

Here are some suggestions to get the most bang out of your break! Remember, checking email or returning a business phone call is not a break. That’s still work! In fact, if you can avoid technology during your break, you’ll be better off!

Take a walk. A study done at Stanford University showed that 81 percent of folks were more creative after taking a walk break during their work. Even more, the creative boost stuck with them even after they sat back down to work.
Get in nature. Whether it is a place like the beach or even a city park, nature can improve your cognitive function. It can also have major physiological benefits like reducing your blood pressure, heart rate and stress levels. Nature can also improve your mood and make you feel more positive.
Try a micro “power nap.” This one may not be possible or everyone and it may even require practice. But there is no denying the benefits that come from a power nap. These naps are like rebooting your computer: they refresh your memory, energy, patience and stress levels.
Have fun at lunch. If you’re flying solo, consider doing a puzzle, Sudoku, an adult coloring book or bullet journal. In a tem environment, a book club or exercise group during your lunch break could be fun. You may even consider a fun workshop or arts and crafts activity at lunch like what we offer at Tidy Closet.
Do anything else, really! One study published in 2011 found that the longer you’re at a task, the more your performance “steeply declines.” The researchers suggested that

“More and more, we are trying to get faster and get more efficient. We’re trying to get more done in less time. However, research is piling up that is very counterintuitive to this “hustle” culture that has permeated our society. Your brain is not built to run at full speed all day, it needs to rest and recover”

“deactivating” by switching tasks and then later “reactivating” back to the original task or goal kept performance from taking such a nose dive. So, switch it up here and there to give yourself a break! A real break would be great but even a different type of work task will help.

If you’re like most people, you will not take a break unless you have some sort of reminder or trigger. Many people plow right through the day, sometimes even eating lunch at the desk. If you want to change, if you want to be more productive, more focused and even less stressed, make it a priority to try one of the break examples we’ve outlined. You can write your break times on your daily planner, schedule them in your digital calendar and even set alarms on your phone. Consider it an experiment. Test yourself to see if you get better by implementing these changes.

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Take a break to get more motivation & focus