Some years ago, while in private practice at a law firm I was acting for a large customer renegotiating a critical supply contract. Failure to agree could result in the bankruptcy of the supplier which provided some key technology, so we had to succeed. The team leader smoked and every hour or so would call a halt to proceedings to have a cigarette with some colleagues in a smoking hut or sometimes a car park. I as a non-smoker I did not at first attend. However, I quickly noticed that our position had moved on after every such break. So, possibly shortening my life span in the process, I joined these critical break outs not to smoke, but to participate in the discussions on the progress of the negotiation and the tactics we should adopt. They also acted as a quick time out to recharge our batteries and were a very good way of providing perspective. I am not for one moment advocating smoking, but the concept of the “smoker’s break” is a good one.
My online typing course (see last week’s blog Comfort Zones and BHAG’s) has also just recommended in a short video that I take a break from working on the computer and stretch my legs. Apparently in addition to the risk of back, wrist and hand strain from spending too long at the keyboard, we focus so hard on the screen that we blink less, three or four times a minute instead of twenty odd, potentially also giving us strained and dry eyes.
Otis Redding captured the concept of taking time out to think well when he sang “I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay Watchin' the tide roll away”. Perhaps that takes the idea too far, but even a short break really helps. A partner of mine used to take ten-minute power naps in the days when we were almost always working in an office. Working partly from home makes it I suggest both easier and harder to take a break. Easier in the sense that you can relax for a short time in your lounge or kitchen or garden, but harder because you are only sixty seconds or so from your office – and the phone is always on. But why not take a leaf from Otis’s approach and go for a quick coffee in your local café – and watch the world go round for a few minutes.
I recommend this article I found Breaks and work performance: two sides of the same coin which says:
It’s not a question of if we should take breaks. It’s a question of when and for how long. A break is a time for yourself. It’s when you have the chance to stand up and stretch, grab some food, or search for stress relief. Taking a break from work is a necessity for your productivity and focus.
The idea that we need to remain focused on one single task for as long as possible has been debunked by many studies. In fact, researchers have found that when our brains get used to something, performance and productivity begin to plummet.
The research referred to is a study by the University of Illinois reviewed in this Science News article which summarises the results as A new study overturns a decades-old theory about the nature of attention and demonstrates that even brief diversions from a task can dramatically improve one's ability to focus on that task for prolonged periods. It concludes that This study is consistent with the idea that the brain is built to detect and respond to change, ….and suggests that prolonged attention to a single task actually hinders performance.
The original article even sets out eight types of short break including, as well as the Power Nap, Nature, Social Media and even Dance breaks! It recognises “Micro breaks [which] are things like standing up to stretch, filling a water bottle, or petting your cat”.
See also this blog The Importance of Taking Breaks which states However, research has found that taking a break can be very beneficial for you and your work. Micro-breaks, lunchtime breaks and longer breaks, have all been shown to have a positive relationship with wellbeing and productivity. By taking regular breaks you can boost your performance.
The research refers to a 2016 study which found that taking lunchtime breaks and detaching from work, increases levels of energy at work and decreases exhaustion. The blog recommends some tips to prompt you to regularly step away and rebuild your energy including
- Agree break times with your peers
- Set an alarm on your phone
- Plan to do something in your break that you enjoy
While this BBC article The tiny breaks that ease your body and reboot your brain also extols the virtues of mini breaks stating If you don’t have time for an hour-long break in your workday, a series of ‘microbreaks’ can also have a powerful effect on your body and your mind. And Microbreaks are thought to help us to cope with long periods at our desks by taking the strain off certain body structures – such as the neck – that we’re using all day.
As the author Russell Eric Dobda sagely remarks “Taking a break can lead to breakthroughs.”
And Hiral Nagda the coach and writer observes “Sometimes doing nothing makes way for everything.”
As a technology lawyer I also really like this quote from the American novelist Anne Lamott “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes …. including you.”
Time for me to take another break!
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