LiifeHabit #1: Take Regular Work Breaks
Benefit: Sitting for long periods isn’t natural for our bodies. Regular breaks from your workstation are crucial to boost blood flow, prevent stiffness, and maintain good posture.
These breaks also recharge your brain, enhancing productivity and problem-solving skills. Research indicates that incorporating short breaks into your day can lower certain brain wave activity leading to stress reduction.
Overview: For optimal productivity, aim for short 10-minute breaks after every 50 minutes of focused work, and longer breaks of 15 to 60 minutes every 2 to 4 hours of work.
If you’re at a desk, get up and stretch during breaks to keep your body active. You can even incorporate some mindfulness and meditation during this time. For manual laborers, take a seat, enjoy a cup of tea, and give your muscles a well-deserved 10-minute rest.
LiifeHabit Guide
Take Regular Work Breaks
- Set Reminders: Use alarms or calendar alerts to remind yourself to take breaks at designated intervals throughout the day. You can set these reminders at the start and the end of each break period. Why not check pout YouTube’s study videos featuring built-in breaks accompanied by soothing music and sounds of nature?
- Create a Routine: Use your reminders to establish a consistent routine for taking breaks. Follow this schedule of short breaks every hour and longer breaks every two to four hours to solidify the habit. Remember, skipping breaks undermines habit development.
- Plan Break Activities: Determine enjoyable or relaxing activities to do during breaks, such as stretching, walking, deep breathing exercises, or simply stepping away from your workstation to rest your eyes (if you work at a computer). Having planned activities will ensure you completely disengage from work.
- Acknowledge the Benefits of Regular Work Breaks: Acknowledge the benefits regular work breaks bring, such as increased productivity, reduced stress, and improved well-being. This acknowledgment will act as positive reinforcement to solidify this action as a habit.
- Practice Self-Compassion: Be patient with yourself as you work on building this new habit. Understand that it takes time and effort to break old routines and establish new ones. If you miss a break or forget to take one, avoid being too hard on yourself and simply recommit to your goal moving forward.
Leave a Reply