92
Micro breaks: The most effective way to relax during the workday
When deadlines are approaching, the phone keeps ringing and ringing, and the mailbox is full, the thought of a break seems absurd. The only option is to plow and plow. However, this option is shortsighted: in the future you will pay dearly for it.
Just as you refuel your car and recharge your phone, you need to give yourself the opportunity to regain energy throughout the day. And the more stressful your day, the more you think that there is no time to rest, the more important it is to take regular breaks.
But not every break will help. Psychologists and business researchers have found that the most effective way to relax during the working day. micro-break. Recent research shows that there are Three simple steps to effectively rest and move on.
Step 1. Shut down completely.
When the body is very tired, there is a temptation to spend time on something pleasant and comfortable - but not relaxing. For example, online shopping, reading news or magazine. Studies show that short breaks refresh the body only when you have a chance to shut down completely. Conversely, any activity that requires concentration or willpower, even if it is not about work, only increases fatigue.
Researchers from the University of Illinois and George Mason University asked about a hundred Korean workers to keep a detailed diary for ten working days, in which they indicated how busy their hours were after lunch, what they did during breaks, and how tired they were by the end of the day. The researchers divided the activities during the break into relaxing (light exercise, daydreaming), nutritious (coffee), social (chatting with colleagues) and cognitive (reading newspapers or mail).
As you might guess, those who experienced more fatigue at the end of the day and working hours after lunch were more stressful. The protective buffer in this case was only certain types of breaks: relaxing and social. Cognitive exercise during the break only exacerbated fatigue, probably because it required the same skills as work.
Another study published this year found that workers who used smartphones during their lunch break rather than chatting with friends were more emotionally drained in the afternoon.
Psychologists have a popular theory that concentration and willpower are like fuel: the more you spend on one task, the less you will remain on others. This theory has recently been criticized for simplifications, but it is still a useful analogy for new research on breaks: During the day, energy reserves are gradually reduced, and they can be replenished only if you really rest..
Step 2. Take short breaks earlier and more often.
Most people feel more energetic in the morning rather than in the afternoon, so it begs a decision to take breaks in the afternoon when we are already starting to brake.
But new research shows that taking breaks in the morning is even more beneficial. 95 workers answered questionnaires about how they felt after each break. The morning breaks were much more refreshing.
Another detail from the same study is that if you take frequent breaks, they shouldn’t be long. But if you deny yourself a rest, and then take one big break, then it should be much longer for you to feel the effect.
Of course, if you’re poring over a complex creative project, the idea of breaking away for half an hour or an hour seems unpleasant and impractical. Therefore, you continue to bite into the work, and as a result, its quality suffers. If you remember to take breaks earlier and more often (and you have the discipline to do it), then at the end of the day you will not be overtaken by this unpleasant dilemma, and you will not have to take a long break in the afternoon..
Step 3. Get out of the office.
People working in large office buildings spend all day inside. But breaks at the coffee maker or in the dining room can not be compared with going outside and with the opportunity to distract from the office environment. In the office still remains this tension – you need to maintain a good impression with others.
Researchers at the University of Toronto recently studied how different activities during lunch breaks affect workers. They found that employees who communicated at lunch or engaged in some work activities during lunch, by the end of the day, according to their colleagues, looked more tired. The problem was especially acute when the bosses forced the workers to communicate during the break.
If you have the opportunity to get outside, even walk around the building for five minutes, it helps to recharge from nature. Of course, it all depends on where your office is. A lot of research says that greenery around helps the brain reboot, and you do not need to run to the rainforest. Even a small city park or garden will do.
Many people today believe that success is only possible if you are busy all the time. If you have time for a short walk, then you do not have enough drive and ambition. But in reality, your energy reserves are limited, and only frequent short breaks help you really rest and then realize your potential.
Also interesting: Silent killers: 10 habits that prevent you from working well
11 Phrases to Avoid at Work
And finally, some people think you can plough all day long and then shut down completely. It's a robot, but it's not human. Researchers at the University of Constance and Portland found that extreme fatigue at the end of the working day complicates rest during non-working hours. In other words, If you allow yourself to take breaks, taking time off will be more effective and boost your productivity and creativity in the days and weeks ahead.published
Christian Jarrett is a journalist, psychologist, and blog editor for the British Psychological Society.
P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness – together we change the world!
Source: ideanomics.ru/articles/7562
Just as you refuel your car and recharge your phone, you need to give yourself the opportunity to regain energy throughout the day. And the more stressful your day, the more you think that there is no time to rest, the more important it is to take regular breaks.
But not every break will help. Psychologists and business researchers have found that the most effective way to relax during the working day. micro-break. Recent research shows that there are Three simple steps to effectively rest and move on.
Step 1. Shut down completely.
When the body is very tired, there is a temptation to spend time on something pleasant and comfortable - but not relaxing. For example, online shopping, reading news or magazine. Studies show that short breaks refresh the body only when you have a chance to shut down completely. Conversely, any activity that requires concentration or willpower, even if it is not about work, only increases fatigue.
Researchers from the University of Illinois and George Mason University asked about a hundred Korean workers to keep a detailed diary for ten working days, in which they indicated how busy their hours were after lunch, what they did during breaks, and how tired they were by the end of the day. The researchers divided the activities during the break into relaxing (light exercise, daydreaming), nutritious (coffee), social (chatting with colleagues) and cognitive (reading newspapers or mail).
As you might guess, those who experienced more fatigue at the end of the day and working hours after lunch were more stressful. The protective buffer in this case was only certain types of breaks: relaxing and social. Cognitive exercise during the break only exacerbated fatigue, probably because it required the same skills as work.
Another study published this year found that workers who used smartphones during their lunch break rather than chatting with friends were more emotionally drained in the afternoon.
Psychologists have a popular theory that concentration and willpower are like fuel: the more you spend on one task, the less you will remain on others. This theory has recently been criticized for simplifications, but it is still a useful analogy for new research on breaks: During the day, energy reserves are gradually reduced, and they can be replenished only if you really rest..
Step 2. Take short breaks earlier and more often.
Most people feel more energetic in the morning rather than in the afternoon, so it begs a decision to take breaks in the afternoon when we are already starting to brake.
But new research shows that taking breaks in the morning is even more beneficial. 95 workers answered questionnaires about how they felt after each break. The morning breaks were much more refreshing.
Another detail from the same study is that if you take frequent breaks, they shouldn’t be long. But if you deny yourself a rest, and then take one big break, then it should be much longer for you to feel the effect.
Of course, if you’re poring over a complex creative project, the idea of breaking away for half an hour or an hour seems unpleasant and impractical. Therefore, you continue to bite into the work, and as a result, its quality suffers. If you remember to take breaks earlier and more often (and you have the discipline to do it), then at the end of the day you will not be overtaken by this unpleasant dilemma, and you will not have to take a long break in the afternoon..
Step 3. Get out of the office.
People working in large office buildings spend all day inside. But breaks at the coffee maker or in the dining room can not be compared with going outside and with the opportunity to distract from the office environment. In the office still remains this tension – you need to maintain a good impression with others.
Researchers at the University of Toronto recently studied how different activities during lunch breaks affect workers. They found that employees who communicated at lunch or engaged in some work activities during lunch, by the end of the day, according to their colleagues, looked more tired. The problem was especially acute when the bosses forced the workers to communicate during the break.
If you have the opportunity to get outside, even walk around the building for five minutes, it helps to recharge from nature. Of course, it all depends on where your office is. A lot of research says that greenery around helps the brain reboot, and you do not need to run to the rainforest. Even a small city park or garden will do.
Many people today believe that success is only possible if you are busy all the time. If you have time for a short walk, then you do not have enough drive and ambition. But in reality, your energy reserves are limited, and only frequent short breaks help you really rest and then realize your potential.
Also interesting: Silent killers: 10 habits that prevent you from working well
11 Phrases to Avoid at Work
And finally, some people think you can plough all day long and then shut down completely. It's a robot, but it's not human. Researchers at the University of Constance and Portland found that extreme fatigue at the end of the working day complicates rest during non-working hours. In other words, If you allow yourself to take breaks, taking time off will be more effective and boost your productivity and creativity in the days and weeks ahead.published
Christian Jarrett is a journalist, psychologist, and blog editor for the British Psychological Society.
P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness – together we change the world!
Source: ideanomics.ru/articles/7562
