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Science has proven that people are much more productive and creative when they take mental and physical breaks. This is the reason children have recess at school, and why we\u2019ve created this productivity-boosting solution to help companies maximize creation. Recess is the perfect tool in-tune with the new realities of today\u2019s workplace and will help your team members stay focused and improve performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why do we need Recess in workplaces<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Breaks are good for your brain and your well-being and a good break has key characteristics you can replicate at home or in an office. When we\u2019re at our best, we\u2019ll not only feel better and be happier, but we\u2019ll perform better, and this is good for us and good for our employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Breaks are critical to your function by contributing to healthy boundaries, mood, and well-being. A study in Current Biology even showed breaks improve memory. Those who took breaks while learning found a marked increase in their ability to recall key information and put it to use later<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That is why, earlier this week, we announced to the entire team our new \u201cRecess policy\u201d: a time to pause at work. The most important thing is, as told by our boss, not the non-stop hours spent on a project but, the effectiveness of the least minutes spent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Health officials encourage companies to offer some recess-like activity at work, or something similar, such as walking breaks. Sitting for a long time can adversely affect your health, according to health officials, and so recess breaks are a good way to break up sitting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Between 5 and 10 percent of the increase in healthcare costs comes from employees who do not engage in enough physical activity, according to health officials. About one-fifth of all cases of heart disease and diabetes come as a result of inactivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The adage, \u201cAll work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,\u201d may seem like a silly childhood chant. Yet, it\u2019s an idea that just may save today\u2019s HR manager from one of the biggest headaches: turnover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At some companies, recess activities take a more traditional format, workers can jump rope, play basketball, table tennis, or other \u201cschoolyard\u201d games. Other places have a more adult flavor to their recess, offering short exercise routines, ping-pong, or miniature golf. The purpose, however, is the same for each \u2013 to pull employees away from their computers for 5 – 15 minutes and help reduce stress on overworked people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to take effective breaks (and be more productive)<\/h3>\n\n\n\nA Good Work-Rest Routine:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
They are all essential for productivity, but many of us have the wrong idea about them. We don’t take enough effective breaks. We think we should focus on a single task for hours at a time. That idea is outdated.
Few of us can focus for even 1 hour without any interruptions, from others or ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While training our focus and lengthening our attention span are important and useful skills, it’s foolish to expect ourselves to work 1, 2, or 4 hours at a time, totally focused. Our mind has its limits. We aren’t computers. We can’t go at full speed 24\/7. We’re humans and we need breaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If we want to perform at a high level consistently, breaks are necessary. Elite athletes don’t train all day long without rest. They focus on recovery nearly as much as on their actual performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A work-rest routine as thus; 30 minutes of work, 5 minutes of break, or 60 minutes of work, and 10 minutes of break is advisable to help increase focus and efficiency of work time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So let’s take a look at how we can use good breaks to improve our mental performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An effective way to take a break\/Recess<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We’ll start with bad breaks. reaks that make you feel worse or lead to an unproductive state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unproductive breaks:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Social media use (without effective boundaries in place).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Reading news articles<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Watching YouTube and Netflix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Eating junk food<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Browsing shopping sites aimlessly<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you try to fit these activities into your workday as a break, they often derail it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You know how your mind feels after checking social media for a while scattered, unfocused, and foggy. That doesn’t help your productivity. The worst-case scenario is that you go down a rabbit hole and waste the rest of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Avoid highly stimulating, addictive activities during your breaks.
Avoid low effort, high dopamine activities like checking social media or playing Candy Crush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, choose break activities that give your mind a chance to relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What’s a good and effective break?<\/h3>\n\n\n\nEffective breaks:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Brew coffee or tea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Do a breathing exercise or meditate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Stare out of a window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Read a page of a book or a blog post: This can be a good substitute for social media checking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Tidy up a part of your room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Lie down with your eyes closed or nap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Stand up and stretch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Take a short walk: Studies say that taking a walk through nature boosts your ability to concentrate by as much as 20 % and at the same time reduces your stress levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Have a chat with a roommate or a colleague.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Call someone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Do a quick workout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Take a nap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Take a shower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Eat a healthy snack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Doodle: an activity that’s quite easy to carry out. Examples drawing lines, shapes, etc, especially when you’re bored<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All of these activities let your mind switch from concentration to relaxation.
Don’t end up operating in a substandard state trying hard to force the brain to work non-stop. Take a break, free the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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