The 4 Best Breaks You Can Take to Up Your Productivity
The switch to remote work has prompted some very zealous conversations about productivity and employee engagement as many employers struggle to comprehend and predict what off-site work might mean for their business. But productivity is subject to diminishing returns and people need regular breaks and downtime in order to recharge and remain high-performing at work. Below are the 4 best breaks you can take to up your productivity.
Brain Games
Many people spend their breaks on their phones, which is not inherently a bad thing, but it depends on what you’re doing. Surfing through social media tends to be most people’s favourite distraction, but too much time on social media can be bad for your mental health. A lot of people play mobile games, which can provide a nice break, but if you really want to get the most out of your “phone break,” consider doing something a little more stimulating.
Brain-stimulating games like Sudoku or Scrabble can provide not only a nice distraction but the kind of cognitive stimulation that actually refreshes you and expands your cognitive bandwidth. If you are playing the latter and are struggling to rack up points, consider a tool like Unscramblex to help you put winning combinations together.
Exercise
One of the best ways to spend your breaks at work is exercising. This could be as simple as getting a 15-20-minute walk in, doing a few sets of crunches and pushups or, if you have exercise equipment at home like a bike or treadmill, hopping on either one of those. It’s important to properly hydrate and eat following exercises, replacing minerals and consuming vitamins to boost metabolism to aid muscular and cardiovascular recovery.
There are well-established links between exercise, brain health and brain function, so why not utilize your downtime to recharge your mind and body so that you feel good about getting back to work.
Brain Food and Hydration
Another popular break activity is eating. In the office, people often make a trip to the vending machine or kitchen, or outside to the local convenience or grocery store for a bite to eat. Going for a walk to grab food is a good way to cover both your exercise and nutritional needs, but you are sabotaging yourself if you are eating junk. Supplements like Gundry MD Energy Renew, as well as water and brain foods such as nuts, seeds, or any other sources of high-quality protein are what will make the biggest difference in terms of your energy levels and your mental tiredness when you sit back down to work again. If you are someone that is longing to improve their health and their energy levels, incorporating supplements into your life is definitely the way forward. For example, Nootropic brain supplements can further enhance your powers of concentration and you should click here for more information about some of the best brain supplements on the market. By doing so, you have the ability to improve your overall health and well-being, so this is definitely something worth considering.
Horticulture
Having plants and vegetation around your office which, if you work remotely, is now your home, is good for your soul, but they need to be taken care of. Good thing that tending to your indoor or outdoor garden can also help with your mental well-being. If you want to have a great 15 or 20-minute break, water, trim, fertilize and appreciate your plants. You’ll feel like you’ve done something worthwhile and being around and interacting with plants is a major mood booster.
Conclusion
To maximize your performance at work, you should break your day up into scheduled productivity sprints and dedicated downtimes that you use to recharge and disconnect from work for a set period of time. It has been shown that too much continuous work without rests will hurt quality and drain your energy, so keep the above break tips in mind and you will end up getting more done with less time.
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