Setting aside work time to take breaks is something we know to be important, but especially hard to do while working remotely. I was thankful to have “What to Do on 15-, 30-, and 60-Minute Breaks to Boost Productivity” shared with me to engage with strategies to take the most impactful work breaks.
As Stephanie Vozza notes in her article, when completed correctly, there are many benefits to taking breaks such as increased focus, energy, creativity and innovation. However, we often fall prey to sitting down for a break only to continue to check emails while we lunch away. During this age of remote work, taking breaks may be more challenging when the comfy sofa is sitting in the other room, the kids plead for your attention, or your sourdough starter is getting hungry. The consequences of failing to complete productive breaks are depleted energy, mental blocks and burnout which will negatively impact your work.
Below are strategies to taking breaks of various lengths in order to maximize their benefits to your mental and physical endurance.
5-15-Minute Breaks
Short breaks allow for a brief reprieve from sitting at your desk and staring at a screen. The most important goal of a 5-15-minute break is increased blood flow through exercise. This means getting out of your chair to walk up and down a flight of stairs, going for a walk around the block, or playing fetch with your dog in the backyard. It is also a great opportunity to practice mindfulness and let your brain rest. Challenge yourself to let your brain think about nothing or let yourself daydream while looking out the window.
30-Minute Breaks
On a mid-length break think about reinvigorating your blood flow through a walk around the block or brief stretching exercises. If you live in a hilly place like us in Seattle, walking up and down the neighborhood hill is another great option. On a 30-minute break it is a great opportunity to check in with friends, family and coworkers (as long as it is about something other than work). Whether in person, over the phone or through videocall, talking with your friends is shown to increase sense of purpose, self-confidence, happiness and reduce stress.
60-Minute Breaks
An hour-long break offers an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on your work. If you are feeling overwhelmed by a looming deadline, a “brain dump” will offer you time to organize your mind and alleviate stress and anxiety. Brain dumps encourage you to write down everything on your mind and then sort out your ideas on the physical paper. According to a study by the University of Sussex, reading a book is shown to decrease heart rate and reduce muscle tension. Listening to music, enjoying a cup of coffee or streaming TV are also beneficial but do not have the same physical health benefits.
In sum, breaks are a great tool to offer your mind and body a rest from the strenuous workday. This guide to productive breaks should help in the process of falling back into a healthy work/break routine during remote work. When practiced correctly breaks have the ability to increase productivity in employees as well as enhance quality of work. Taking time to remind ourselves to rest will continue to be important as we work within this modified livelihood.