Taking breaks might be beneficial for your productivity, research says.
While it might be tempting to skip the break at work when you have a lot on your plate and are trying to finish tasks, taking a break might just give you the boost that you need to reenergize and refocus.
Why you should take breaks at work
According to Axios, researchers at University of Illinois found that when they asked two groups to perform a 50-minute task on the computer, the group that took two short breaks did not see performance decline while the group that didn’t take a break did see performance decline.
In other words, this 2011 study shows that not taking a break may hamper productivity.
A recently published Healthline article authored by Traci Pedersen stated that taking positivity breaks can positively impact productivity. Pedersen wrote, “When we’re under pressure — say, working under a tight deadline — it can be tempting to skip little breaks to ‘save time.’ But short breaks are actually necessary to keep your brain working optimally.”
According to Healthline, taking breaks to laugh by watching a silly video or to reenergize by listening to your favorite song can positively impact your mood and boost your focus.
What should you do for breaks?
There are a lot of available options for taking breaks. Short, timed breaks can be effective for boosting focus.
- Watch a silly video.
- Listen to music.
- Go for a short walk.
- Eat a healthy snack like fruits and nuts or vegetables and dip.
- Have a quick phone call with a loved one.
- Do a brain game.