Oftentimes, as employees, we feel guilty about taking a break during work hours. Though we love working every minute of every hour, it can cause burnout and lack of focus. Studies have shown that taking a break during your work hours has increased benefits for your productivity and health! Here are three ways you can take a healthy break:
1. Join Those Group Activities
Feeling like part of a community is important. If your company is providing some type of activity during work hours, join! Work isn’t usually mentioned during these fun blocks of time, and you can enjoy yourself with your coworkers.
2. Look at Your Schedule
If you have time in between your meetings and are feeling worn out, take a brief break from your work. Studies have shown that taking small five to 15-minute breaks can help re-evaluate your goals, improve your creativity, and even improve your mental health. This is a healthy way to restart your day after having back-to-back meetings and email overload.
3. Micro-Breaks Every Hour
If you’re still confused about when to take a break, start by reviewing your work intervals. Even if you take a one-minute break, it can change your productivity levels for the rest of the day. You can do five-minute break intervals every 25 minutes or a 15-minute break every 90 minutes. The opportunities are endless, but you need to figure out what works best for you.
If you’re still struggling, try timing your work productivity during the day so you know when to take a break. Try out the popular free Pomodoro technique or the 50/10 method and see which one works best for you!