They say time flies when you’re having fun… Time also flies when you’re swamped at work and you’re running from meeting to meeting. Often, it feels like there’s no time to step away and take a break. So you just push through, and ultimately it can result in a negative atmosphere at work. People will start to feel drained and most likely become inefficient. Taking real breaks during your work day is vital to your mental health and overall productivity.
Creativity and inspiration
Have you ever worked on a project for hours and reached a stumbling block, which you could not seem to surpass? Taking a break from the task at hand, and allowing yourself a breather can benefit you greatly. You may reach a mental block because your creativity and inspiration have involuntarily switched off for a short while. In order to kick start that process back into gear you should step away momentarily. You will see how after that much needed short break, the answer you needed to your problem miraculously comes to mind.
Movement breaks
There is ample research that shows that taking brief movement breaks are beneficial to both your physical and emotional health. What do we mean by movement break, well, just as the name implies, step away from your desk and get your body moving, and your blood flowing. Sitting at your desk for long periods of time is not the best option for your health, therefore it’s good to take a short walk or stretch. Even a walk to the coffee vendor outside the office or simply stepping outside for some fresh air every hour can help improve your health and well-being.
Recharge
If you find yourself in a space where you feel exhausted from a task, a brief break will help recharge your body and mind. You could have a healthy snack or lunch during this break and it would certainly provide the necessary energy boost to help you continue on. If you’re able to, and it won’t have any negative consequences with your boss, take a power nap. If your place of work doesn’t have an allocated space for this, then simply close your eyes and rest your head at your desk. You’ll be surprised how a few minutes of shut-eye can make you feel more alert and help reduce stress.
Productivity
Achieving your work goals and maintaining good productivity levels is not always easy if you’re not in the right frame of mind due to fatigue at work. By simply taking deep, slow breaths, and focusing on your breathing for 30 seconds, you can relax your mind and body. It’s no wonder another way of saying “take a break” is to say, “take a breather”. When you’re feeling like this, and you’re confined to your desk, then this quick breathing exercise can help reactivate your creative juices, and get you firing again.
The intention for taking a short break is not to escape what needs to be done, but rather to regroup, return to your task, and complete what you had set out to do. We’re not saying take a few hours – all you need is a few minutes away from any work, physical exertion, or strenuous activity of any kind. Take that much needed rest and watch the magic happen!
