Being productive doesn’t mean sitting in your seat at your desk for eight hours straight while trying to eliminate distractions and interruptions. That sounds really taxing and not the best way to use our brainpower.
Now, I’m all for working without interruptions-both the ones we create and the ones that come from outside sources, but I don’t think our brains can stay focused for hours on end. I’m no brain expert, but there surely are brain experts out there. According to an article in Harvard Business Review, the brain does best when it toggles between being focused and being unfocused.
Just think about preparing yourself and your body to run a marathon. Chances are high that when you’re out on your runs leading up to the big day, you will run faster, slower and maybe even walk. I doubt your pace is going to stay exactly the same the whole run. Going a little slower we can give our lungs and our legs a little break while we continue to build endurance. We can do the same for our brains.
Since I work from home when I’m not working with clients, I like to give myself breaks all throughout the day. I may work on a blog post and then go move laundry from the washing machine to the dryer or clean out the dishwasher. The key is to give yourself a break but not break from your work entirely. You still have to go back to your seat and focus again. Don’t go down a rabbit hole where you allow yourself to clean the whole house for two hours-it is a choice.
When I take a break, it feels good to stretch, to move around and to think of something that doesn’t require any real decision making. I don’t have to really think about how to fold the laundry. Yet, it’s during these times that a solution to a problem may pop into our heads. When you’re folding those socks, your brain may just be processing while it’s not under pressure to perform.
Strike a balance between focusing during critical tasks, let’s say 30-60 minutes at a time and then giving yourself and that amazing brain a break. And if you have to work for shorter stints of time before you need to stretch, that’s okay too as long as you make a habit of getting back to work quickly after each break.
