How can taking a break from work improve your productivity?

Feeling stuck at work can be a sign you need a breather. - Regular short breaks prevent burnout and sharpen focus. - Physical activity during pauses increases energy and mental clarity. - Extended time off offers deep recovery and fresh perspectives. Taking a break is essential for sustained productivity and innovative thinking. It's not just a luxury... it's a strategic tool for better performance. How do you integrate breaks into your routine to stay at the top of your game? Join the conversation. #RestToPerform #StrategicBreaks #ProductiveMindset #LeadershipWellbeing

Mental fatigue results in reduced cognitive performance and therefore reduced productivity. Mental fatigue is caused by sustained levels of high cognitive load, such as long focused work blocks, and when you become fatigued, it can be hard to recover. Therefore, the best approach to sustained productivity across the day and the week is to have short frequent breaks.

Everyone is different. Our research shows some people's performance often deteriorates after 90min, while others can go for 3 hours before they fatigue. It is recommended you schedule a short break before you get to this state. Personally, I like a 5-minute break every 30-40min followed by a longer break every two hours. This allows you to be productive, but sustain performance over the day.

Breaks are great, but a break is only worthwhile if you get away from the screen for a while. Don't sit at the computer. Don't check your phone. Don't look at social media. Instead, look out the window, go get a drink, or take a bathroom break. Or during a longer break, go for a walk or listen to some music. I once worked with a high performer who used the Pomodoro technique of 25 minutes of work followed by a 5 minute break. In his break, he would lay down and close his eye while thinking about the work challenge he was facing. This would give him the opportunity to get back into work fresh, and potentially having a solution to the problem he faced.

We all fear distraction will invite failure amid nonstop achievement addiction. Yet Einstein swore long baths sparked his breakthrough ideas, not slides. He knew over-stimulation stifled creativity. Floating thoughtfully in tub timeouts allowed organic questions to marinate unforced rather than compulsively chasing constant destinations. These playful breaks recharged his concentration to sharpen selections between brainstorm gems and duds. They also eased competitive compulsions, opening capacity for unconventional concepts through the paradox of being productively relaxed. Recharging cognition this way demands curbing guilt to trust our unconscious bears fruit when conscious efforts hit walls. Our brains need idle gears sometimes.

You are able to better perform and reach a peak state of being when you nurture your mental, emotional, and physical state. Taking time out daily to recharge and fuel your holistic well-being is the key to supporting you thrive and sustain your drive to live a passion and purposeful life. We perform best when we are in a universal state of flow, and not when we are burnt out, frustrated, fatigued, angry or ill. Block out time in your schedule each day to do things which bring you joy and nourish your body, mind, and spirit.