Productivity is something that every employee thinks about at work and it is something that every employer wants to maximize, however, it is challenging to maximize the productivity of your employees. Studies have shown that work breaks can help employees attain greater productivity and less burnout. If you really want to become a productive employee and do as much as you can with the time you have, you should take work breaks which are found to be more effective than constantly pushing yourself.
Humans have only so much energy that they can give to any task. After a while, they get tired and need some time to rejuvenate. Studies say that after a while, 90 minutes to 120 minutes, you should take a small break, listen to music or play Solitaire so that your brain can take some time to re-energize itself and regain its focus and concentration.
If you don’t have a work break policy in your office, your employer might not like you taking occasional work breaks but if you explain all of this to your employer the right way, you can very well convince him/her to reconsider the work break policy. With that being said, we have discussed this topic below in detail explaining the importance of work breaks and how they can help in maximizing productivity:
Helps In Improving Focus
Taking breaks at work helps in improving focus. When we work for longer periods without taking a break, our brains start to lose focus and become fatigued. Working for long periods without taking breaks also decreases our attention span but all of this can be sorted out by taking regular breaks. When we take regular breaks, we give our brains some time to rest and re-energize which can improve our focus and concentration when we return to work. This is very important because a fatigued brain cannot perform properly and can lead to many errors.
Reduces Stress
Stress is very common in the workplace and if you are feeling stressed out at work or there is so much work burden that no matter how hard you try, you get stressed out, you will have to make taking work breaks a hobby for yourself.
Stress can have a negative impact on your physical and mental health, it can deteriorate your performance, and also negatively impact your productivity and efficiency. A simple solution to reduce or even eliminate workplace stress is by giving your mind and body a chance to stay away from work and relax. During this time you can have a conversation with your co-workers about a trending topic, listen to relaxing music, or enjoy a relaxing game of Klondike Solitaire. All of this will help clear your mind and reduce your stress levels.
Better Job Satisfaction
Work breaks can also help in improving job satisfaction along with improving focus and reducing stress levels as aforementioned. When you are performing your job with full focus and don’t feel stressed or worn out, you will start to like your job. High-stress levels, impaired focusing ability, and feelings of being worn out can make you disengaged from your work. By taking regular breaks, you will have better focus, lower stress levels, and won’t feel overworked which will improve your job satisfaction and you will like going to your office every day.
All of these aforementioned things will ultimately result in better productivity and you will be able to achieve the most out of the time that you have. Keep in mind that there are a variety of different ways in which you can take office breaks but it is important to find the way which works best for you. Some people like listening to music, some like setting some fresh air, others like having a healthy snack, and some even like a quick meditation session.
Just remember that whatever method you choose, helps you stay productive in the workplace. Moreover, don’t forget to find a schedule that works best for you and allows you to be most productive. Taking short breaks after regular intervals like an hour or so is an effective way to be productive and produce your best work. With a tired mind and high-stress levels, you cannot be productive or produce your best work even if you tried your best.