When to Take a Break at Work - The Muse

When to Take a Break at Work - The MuseWhen to Take a Break at Work When Im running, I hate stopping before reaching my mileage goal. Because if I pause, it feels like I cut myself short. Even if my GPS reads five miles at the end, I didnt run those miles successfully, so it doesnt count.But this way of thinking is silly. A quick rest doesnt discredit my efforts. In fact, its better to do so in the long run. If a muscle is cramping, I should stretch it. If I need a few sips of water, I should take them. Or, if I just need a minute to catch my darn breath, its OK. If I neglect listening to my body, I may not be able to finish the run at all and could even end up injured. Despite knowing all of this, my mindset about taking breaks is quite similar at the workplace- Id be better to just keep going until its done. But the thing is, breaks are so, so, important. And, just like a quick breather during a hard run, there are even certain instances at work when making time for a break can act ually set you up for more success long-term success. 1. When Youve Been Working Non-Stop for HoursWhen you have a monster of a project to finish up or a huge list of to-dos to tackle, your instinct may be to power through. After all, if you stop, even for a moment, youll be even more behind, and the stress of it all will just pile up. But, when we focus on something for too long, our brains become tired. And when our brain faces fatigue, we have difficulty focusing, making decisions, thinking clearly, and avoiding distractions. Im fairly certain thats not conducive to getting things done well, or at all. While your brain isnt technically a muscle, it needs rest like a muscle does. Think about how we do sets of exercises 15 biceps curls, then rest, then repeat two more times. Why dont we give our brains the same luxury?And heres some good nachrichtensendung Even small (really small) breaks can help. A University of Illinois study found that even a 40-second break to look away from yo ur computer screen can result in a 13% increase in productivity, says Katie Smith, a health promotion specialist. And short breaks every 10 minutes can result in a 50% decrease in fatigue. Moreover, mid-morning breaks can boost concentration, motivation, and energy.That time off, no matter what the duration, helps you press the reset button and be better prepared to move forward.HomeAdvisors offices have plenty of ways to take a break when you need it. Learn more about what its like to work thereOur OfficeSee Their Open Jobs At HomeAdvisor2. When You and Your Colleague Arent Seeing Eye-to-EyeIf you told me you never disagreed with a co-worker, I wouldnt believe you (sorry). All relationships encounter disagreements, even those at work. Rather than allowing the conversation to twist and turn until youve reached a deadlock or exploded with grasplatz, though, its better to take a breather. This time-out, explains Kim Pratt, a clinical social worker, basically involves removing yourself from a triggering situation so you have time to cool off and gain clearer perspective. Its a healthy way to manage anger (or another strong emotion) before it gets out of control.So, when you realize you and your teammate are butting heads and getting nowhere, press pause on the debate and revisit it later. My go-to line for this type of situation is, Well, I dont think were going to come to a resolution right this very moment, and Id like to think about this more. How about we reconvene at insert time? (If youre discussing via email, which can make things seem much more contentious, dont just stop responding. Send a quick note that youd like to mull it over more, and then, suggest getting on the phone or meeting in person.) The point is, you need a clear head to decide the next step and to continue the discussion in a beneficial way. The only way to do that is to extract yourself, even briefly, rather than letting things escalate.3. When Youre Having Trouble Solving a ProblemIt ne ver fails. When theres an issue I need to resolve at the office, I always come up with the answer when Im not actually doing work. Puzzle pieces that didnt fit together before are all of a sudden the perfect match. Perhaps its because Im in a different environment. Or because Im not forcing myself to think about it- my mind just wanders there. Either way, Ive come to rely on these miraculous breakthroughs, trusting that, if I cease staring helplessly at my computer, the answer will magically appear.When you walk away from a problem and think about something else, your memory resets. explains Art Markman, co-author of Brain Briefs Answers to the Most (and Least) Pressing Questions About Your Mind, The ideas that dominated your thinking recede from your thoughts. And those that were inhibited before gradually become more accessible. If your thoughts return to the problem after a pause, those other memories now have a chance to influence your thinking.In other words, even a short inter ruption from what youre doing helps wake up your creativity and generate new ideas. It allows you to replace the stale thoughts youve been trying to escape with fresh (and better) ones. Bottom line Taking breaks is not a sign of weakness or a waste of time. Sure, if youre running to the vending machine every 10 minutes to grab a new snack, you may have trouble getting anything done. But when youre stumped, or frustrated, or hitting a wall, they can be extremely helpful. So, go on quick walk around the block, chat with a co-worker about her weekend plans, or actually take your lunch away from your desk today. Youll be surprised how much better you feel when you return.