A Bit of a Break

When someone does something like Pomodoro Timers, or one of the productivity hacks, there’s always this encouragement to take a break as you need it. I like that idea, but I find it so hard to do that. It’s not easy to stop when you’re in the Zone. It’s also not easy to stop when you haven’t got anything started, and procrastination has been your work mate for the past hour, or two. But when you actually stop, get out of your seat and take a break, there’s a relief. Or so they say.

I find myself struggling with taking breaks because I don’t know what makes up a break time. Is it a walk? But isn’t walking doing something too? Is it getting out of your seat to make coffee? Isn’t that also something work-like as well? What about stretching? Perhaps that would be a break but I know my stretch times feel like a real workout, especially when I need to take out a yoga mat, and a foam roller, to get a proper stretch in the way.

My personal question for taking breaks is: what constitutes a break? How can this break be the most effective?

I find my best breaks happen when I choose not to do anything related to that topic for a day. None of that particular action or activity or task. Nothing related in any way to it. It’s the most relaxing, and my mind learns something new in that break day. I can watch any video I want, I can learn a new language, I can go for walks, for marathons. Just nothing of that particular work.

But it means my work time, with its distractions, are allowed to take the whole day. I will force myself to sit there and accomplish the task when I have set myself the day to do it. No breaks other than going to pee and eat. But pure forced on will power. Am I happy? No. But do I get work done? Yes, 100% yes!

So just give yourself a break every now and then. Not just the tiny ones that no one knows how to quantify. But just an unrelated day. Don’t do anything related to whatever you were supposed to do. And you might really find yourself in better efficiency. I find myself there at least!


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