The human body is somewhat like a computer. It is a complex mechanism that sometimes breaks down and burns out. Sleep usually helps us cope with this. It gives the body a rest and fills it with energy. But there is another effective way – micro-breaks.
You can’t just work all the time. Your brain starts to lose concentration after a few hours. This means it needs to be distracted by something else to rest and refresh itself.
So here are the benefits of taking micro-breaks during work.
What are the benefits of micro-breaks?
As mentioned above, they reset our brains and give fresh energy to the whole body. Even a few minutes of rest can significantly increase productivity. Studies confirm that micro-breaks positively affect our physical and mental well-being.
Improve concentration
Without regular rest, our attention span quickly wanes. One small study involving 150 students found that 40-second pauses, during which participants looked at city rooftops with landscaping, helped them focus better on tasks. In addition, these pauses made fewer mistakes and made the students more consistent in their actions.
Reduce stress
According to research, stress is the biggest enemy of productivity. It distracts us from our tasks and makes us make mistakes.
Stress and anxiety also affect team morale and business relationships. Research on the productivity of banking staff in unstable situations has proven that stress is destructive to motivation and performance. And it also prevents us from feeling satisfaction from our work, while micro-breaks help.
Enhance happiness
Happiness is the best friend of productivity. When we are in a good mood, any task seems manageable. Unsurprisingly, our productivity increases significantly in the middle of a Friday. We look forward to the weekend to get work done faster than usual.
Happy workers are less likely to argue with others and demonstrate greater efficiency and independence. Also, they are always pleasant to be around. One study showed that micro-breaks positively affect workers’ well-being and performance.
Strengthen your muscles
More than 80% of adults experience low back pain at least once. And many have this discomfort because of the work environment.
As we age, our muscles suffer more and more from a lack of movement. Teenagers and 20-year-olds, unless they are professional athletes, rarely complain about lower back pain. However, closer to 40, many people have to deal with this common problem. So devoting at least five minutes of rest to warming up is a great idea.
How to use micro-breaks at work
Just distracting yourself from your tasks is not enough. Here’s what to do during a micro-break to get the most out of it.
Try the Sit-Stand working programs
According to a study conducted by Cornell University ergonomics professor Alan Hedge, the best way to organize work is to follow the “sit-stay-stretch” principle.
This technique divides the day into 30-minute intervals: 20 minutes to work; 8 minutes to stand; 2 minutes to move around, such as stretching or walking.
The last two minutes can be spent on lower back pain exercises. And throughout the entire cycle, it’s essential to maintain a straight posture while you sit or stand.
Do the 20/20/20 eye exercise
During the day, we switch from computer to smartphone, from there to tablet, and then to TV, without giving our eyes any opportunity to rest.
A simple exercise will help remedy the situation: every 20 minutes for 20 seconds, look at an object 20 meters away from you. This technique will protect your eyes from overwork, which inevitably occurs with prolonged work in front of the screen.
Stretch your muscles
Yoga helps a lot. Try to do a few poses before the start of the day and a few more in the middle to keep the body toned. Better yet, make a personalized set of simple exercises for the legs, shoulders, neck, and other parts of the body that are particularly tired.
Give your brain a rest
Our brains can retain a relatively limited amount of information. Moreover, our productivity and ability to perform tasks wanes over time.
Regular breaks help the brain reboot and clear the fog in our heads. Science confirms this as well. The world’s most extensive study found that people with the highest personal productivity are distracted by rest every 52 minutes, no matter how long.
Try dividing your workday into 35-minute and 55-minute segments and set a timer, so you don’t miss any breaks. You can devote them to yoga, breathing exercises, or just getting up and drinking water.
