Break, please: you need that break harder than you think
Let's get straight to the point, because I am guilty. Since I started working from home I find myself increasingly having my lunch next to my laptop, which turns out to be not so good for me. It may seem like you're being more productive, but that's not true. Aiaiai.
By the way, I already know where I go wrong, and that's a start, right? I find it lonely to have lunch alone, so I prefer to quickly spoon soup or salad behind my keyboard. My break usually doesn't sync with my colleagues', which means I often respond via the app or grab my laptop to do something while I'm having lunch. A cardinal sin, say a lot of experts, because that break is good for you.
What am I saying? With one break per hour, you actually perform better than if you don't take a break, as scientific research proves. The word break always feels a bit like coffee on the schoolyard, and that's not such a crazy thought. You actually have two types of breaks, which I never knew, but they suspiciously resemble those short and long breaks from your high school days. The micro-break lasts about five minutes, and during that time you can easily grab a cup of tea, while the macro-break is comparable to the lunch break and lasts at least twenty minutes.
It's not said that you really have to eat during that break, because a walk (that makes you smart), a bit of exercise, or a power nap works just as well. So if you don't feel like having lunch alone, these are excellent substitutes. With a twenty-minute power nap you prepare your brain for a new flow of information, and exercising halfway through the workday has a positive effect on your performance and concentration.
Not a fan of breaks? Then take several short breaks throughout the day. I had forgotten about it, but the Pomodoro technique is a nice method. You set an alarm for twenty-five minutes each time, after which you take a five-minute break. After four times, you take a longer break. It seems that this way you have the most concentration. And you take your eyes off the screen for a moment and stretch your legs, which is also important.
Source: Harper’s Bazaar & HR Academy
