Productive breaks for a more balance life
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the amount of work you have to do ? Constantly juggling between your professional and personal life ? Thinking you have too much to do to take a break ?
Contrary to popular belief micro breaks, lunch breaks or even long breaks have a positive impact on your productivity and well-being. Taking regular breaks is essential to boost your performance and to aim for a more balanced work/personal life.
What kind of breaks to implement in your life ?
Not all breaks are effective. For breaks to have a positive impact on your life, you first need to identify what kind of breaks you should take. They can vary depending on your lifestyle and preferences.
The goal here is to aim for breaks that will help you relax your mind, your body, distance yourself from work-related thoughts or other tasks.
1. Creative breaks
Creative activities like doodling or writing have different benefits such as improving your mood, overcoming mental blocks or stimulating your imagination by using your right brain.
2. Frequent micro breaks
Taking short breaks throughout the day, such as a five minute break every hour can help you reduce stress, burnouts. You can use these short breaks to step away from your computer, desk, or do breathing exercises.
3. Relaxing breaks
After focusing on something for a long period of time, it’s important to let your mind relax. Meditation or listening to calming music is great for your mind.
4. Nature breaks:
Spending time in nature, taking a walk even just for a few minutes can reduce stress, anxiety, boost creativity
Tip: For breaks to be effective and to let your mind and body rest, avoid using digital devices. Scrolling on your phone during a short break is going to send multiple signals to your brain and you will feel even more tired.
When to take a break ?
There are no rules about the best moment to take a break. You need to listen carefully to your body and how you feel.
- Frustration
- Overwhelming
- Fatigue
- Lack of concentration
These are some signs you should start taking breaks to avoid burnouts or health problems.
Generally after 25-30 minutes of deep-focused work you can take a 5 minute break especially if you work most of the day sitting in front of a computer.
You can incorporate The Pomodoro Technique in your daily life. I also wrote a post about signs of exhaustion that you can HERE.
Incorporating breaks during your day is essential to improve your overall well-being and lifestyle.
Keep in mind that everyone is different, a break that works fine for one of your colleagues might not be the best one for you. Experiment and vary with different types of breaks to find the right one for your needs. Pay attention to the benefits you experience when you take a break and write them down in your journal.
