You have a ton of work to get done and not a lot of time to do it. Does your strategy involve immersing yourself in the assignment with no distractions, putting in extra time until it’s complete, and you can finally relax? Because that’s the best way to be productive, right?
Actually, no. While being completely focused isn’t a bad thing, taking regular breaks from mental tasks improves efficiency and creativity, while skipping these breaks can lead to exhaustion and anxiety.
I don’t think anyone would actually be opposed to acting on advice that involves taking more breaks throughout the day, but many of us can’t help but feel guilty in doing so. But the same idea behind taking a break that makes you feel this guilt, is the exact reason you should take them. This little bit of time to yourself detaches your mental focus from working for others and gives you a little personal retreat. It helps to think of mental concentration as similar to a muscle. It becomes strained when overused and needs recovery in order to rebuild itself. These breaks provide cognitive rejuvenation that, like a muscle, is necessary for it to function to the best of its ability. It’s not beneficial to you or your work to try and push through while it’s fatigued. For these reasons, it’s also crucial to take breaks before you reach rock bottom of your mental ability.
Working on a computer often distorts our awareness of time and makes it easier to continue working through our lassitude for long periods. Naturally, our body is designed to respond to short stints of stress, so when stress is prolonged or repeatedly triggered, it becomes chronic, and this is when health problems arise. Not only is your mental health at risk, but your physical health as well. Circulation becomes impaired when sitting for long periods of time, so while you’re taking your personal time, make sure you walk around or get moving, so your blood can supply the oxygen necessary for muscle function. This lack of oxygen is often related to the feeling of fatigue.
Of course, there’s a way to overdo it. Too many breaks is just plain procrastination and will only make its completion that much harder to accomplish. It may be a little too obvious to say, but work can’t get done if you don’t ever do it. You also shouldn’t feel obligated to take breaks if you’re on a roll. Sometimes working through a long period of time can be stimulating and help produce your best work. There’s no need to interrupt a good thing. The most detrimental effects on your productivity come from forcing yourself to go on, so if that’s not the case, then keep it going. Not everyone has the same mental capacity, so your individual routine breaks may be very different than someone else’s, but it shouldn’t be too hard to recognize when you need a break. Common signs involve finding yourself daydreaming or your mind wandering to other things. You may also feel clouded when trying to think and make decisions, experience a lack of energy, or feel increased frustration. Recognize when your mind and body is telling you that you need a break because it can only help you in the long run. Whether you can work through long periods of time or shorter shifts are more your thing, don’t be afraid to take some personal time and recharge.
So take a break. Your future self will thank you for it.