We’ve talked previously about how the Ethospace design concept by Herman Miller was planned to increase productivity by suiting the furniture to the needs of the worker, job duties, and space constraints. Making changes in the environment is nearly always easier than making changes in people, and we have plenty of experience supporting our belief that design can make a difference to our working lives.
Still, productivity can be problematic even in the best workspace. Our computers offer interruptions even if our coworkers don’t, and multitasking can leave us stressed.
Sitting down and plugging through without breaks may seem like the most effective way to quell the tide of tasks. In fact, studies show that most of us face diminishing returns when we do this — we accomplish a lot at the start of the day, but by midafternoon we’re only half as effective.
Avoid the two o’clock slump by taking planned breaks throughout the day.
- First, create a prioritized task list. Many people like to do this at the end of the day so they can jump right in at the beginning of the following day.
- Start working on a task and continue until it is completed. Phone calls or visitors may need immediate attention, but try to eliminate as many distractions as possible and focus fully on the task at hand.
- After about twenty minutes, take a quick break for just a few minutes. Take this time to stretch, look away from your screen, get a cup of coffee, or do something away from your desk. Moving around and taking breaks helps with New Years resolutions and it can help you stay focused too.
- Return to work, keeping distractions limited, and continue this pattern.
- After a few sets, take a longer break and really give yourself some time to rest and recoup from being very focused. If you’re interrupted during your work, consider it a pause in your time. If you finish a large and difficult task and it isn’t time for a longer break but you feel you need one, take a break.
Why? The point of breaks is to keep your attention at the highest level possible. By taking a break, you can regain focus and keep it at higher levels throughout the day, instead of using your focused energy up at the beginning of the day and frittering away the afternoon — or ending the day worn out.
If this is a new idea for you, let us know how it works!