We’re not sure if you agree, but it’s safe to say that humans were not meant to efficiently work for 8-hours straight or even 4-hours straight [if we’re considering lunch breaks]. How do we know? Well besides the productivity and energy decline, we’re just not that good at keeping focus for that long – and that’s why we need to take breaks. But most of us aren’t taking breaks in a way that energizes us, motivates us, or springs on more creativity to tackle our accumulating pile of work. Based on your role type, here’s how to take the best break to optimize your performance for the rest of the day:
If drawing, writing, or reading is your thing, then you already know what you can do on your break outside of just being on your phone. We challenge you to take a break with another creative co-worker so you can talk about new stories, share your art, or recommend your favorite reads to one another. Have you tried creating a book club at work? Book clubs aren’t just for your neighborhood moms - you can share insights with co-workers on cool reads like Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell or Brief Answers to the Big Questions by Stephen Hawking [don’t forget about Delivering Happiness]!
When it comes to someone, who likes data, research, and numbers we recommend a slew of podcasts you can listen to during your break so you can learn a bit about something you don’t already know. Here’s a quick list:
Whether or not you are a people-person, anyone who manages a team has a fair amount of people who need a response from them every day. Among all the noise and distractions, sometimes a manager just needs to some time to themselves. One of our favorite things to do to “reset” our minds is to meditate. Not everyone is good at meditation, but that’s why we have handy apps to help us. Some tried and true apps are Calm, Simple Habit, and Headspace.
Related: How a 15-Minute Habit Can Boost Your Mental Health
Break box is quick and easy, inclusive to all roles and work ages, and has everything you need for a meaningful team-building exercise. The makers of break box, fun dept., release a new break box every quarter – so there’s no worry about doing the same thing over and over again. We love it, and it’s great for satellite teams too!
Why is it important to have engaged employees? See what a happier, engaged culture can do for you: