If you have been working hard in the office, you have earned the right to take a quick break. Not only will this give you some time to relax, but it could also help boost your productivity. It will be an opportunity to de-stress. When you get back to your desk, it will be easier to re-focus.
Taking a break is more than scrolling aimlessly through social media. Here are a few ideas that you can use to take a more rewarding break, which will set you up for a more productive day.
Know How Often to Take Breaks
Let’s start by talking about how often you should be taking breaks. According to science, we each have limited mental resources. When we encounter too much stress, it can start to take its toll. If you aren’t careful, this can lead to burnout at work. The best way to stop this from happening is to take frequent breaks. This article goes into more depth about this topic.
There are plenty of ways to decide how often you need to take a break. You might need to experiment a little to find what works best for you. But one of the best places to start is with the Pomodoro timer. This separates your day into work and break time. You’ll often need to work for 25 minutes, then take a ten-minute break. After four sessions, you can take a longer break, for 30 minutes. This method is easy to implement; you can use the Tomato Timer app.
Another option is to use a smartwatch. This will measure how long you have been sitting still. You can set it to vibrate after an hour. This is your cue to get up and do physical activity. This can be a good option for those who are working from home, which can make it easy for you to lose track of time.
Don’t Think About It
The break should be something that will take your mind off your work. It’s important to clearly delineate between the time you are spending working and your break time. This will give you some time to focus on yourself, allowing you to relieve the stress of work.
Change it Up
The key to having a good break is doing something completely different. If you were previously sitting at your computer, you might want to try a physical activity. On the other hand, if you have a more physical job, you might want to sit down.
Remember, you have multiple breaks during the day, so you can try several types of breaks. You might want to have some that are focused on calming you and releasing tension. Other breaks might be focused on physical fitness. It can take a while to find what will be best for you. Here are some ideas that you can try out.
Massage Chair
One of the best options to explore is a massage chair. This is very easy to get set up; you just need to find a relaxing space and plug it in. This will deliver a range of benefits. It will be a relaxing experience, replicating the experience of getting a massage. But it can do more than this. A good massage chair will remove muscle tension. This is especially important in an office, where much of the day is spent sitting in chairs. To help you find the right one for you, here is a useful list of massage office chairs.
Read a Chapter of a Book
Another option that you can explore is reading a book. This is a great way to take your mind off the job for a few minutes. Just make sure that the book isn’t related to a work topic. If possible, try to use a physical book or a magazine. It can be a good change from staring at a computer screen.
Write Something
Another way to boost your brain is by writing something. It could be something for a blog or some whimsical musings about working in an office. You might even want to start work on a novel. This can be a great mental break, allowing you to express yourself.
Breathe
If you are having a particularly bad day, you might want to try some breathing exercises. This is a great way to calm down. All you need to do is draw in a deep breath. Hold it in for a few seconds. Then, let it out. Repeat this for two or three minutes. If possible, close your eyes and play some music. You don’t need to use classical music; you just need to pick something that you enjoy. Sometimes, you might even be able to find a five-minute guided mediation. This is a great way to center your mind.
Alternatively, there are plenty of online galleries of calming images for you to explore. For example, you might want to take a look at the archives of National Geographic. This is a great way to be transported across the globe or exploring another time.
Get Physical
One of the downsides of working in an office is that much of your day will be spent sitting in a chair. If you aren’t careful, this can start to impact your physical health. The good news is that there are plenty of physical activities that you can do in the office. You can get up and stretch. This will allow you to release any tension in your muscles. Alternatively, you can go for a walk around the block. You might even want to do some star jumps or push-ups. Anything that will get your blood pumping.
Conclusion
The key to boosting your productivity at work is taking effective breaks. This will allow you to release the stress. If you don’t do this, it will continue to build up. This will make you feel overwhelmed and can lead to burnout. Hopefully, these tips will make it easy to take rewarding breaks during your day.
