How Taking Breaks Can Actually Make You More Productive

While logic might suggest that getting more done means operating in a constant state of productivity, the opposite can actually be true: When you hit that afternoon slump and can’t seem to push through the simplest of tasks, it's probably because you needed a break earlier in the day—certainly science backs up that idea. Put simply, your brain needs regular periods of downtime to maintain peak operation.

After periods of intense work, taking a brief break doesn’t just improve your mood—it can actually boost your concentration and performance. So if you want to be truly productive, you should schedule those rest periods into your busy day.

The case for scheduling your "brain breaks"

It’s one thing to know you need downtime, but another to actually find time for it in your day. Through the course of a busy schedule—working, cleaning, studying, taking care of kids, driving, and doing all the other things on your to-do list—you might have the best of intentions when it comes to taking breaks, but not actually do it in the moment. That’s why you should schedule them.

In one episode of HBO's Succession, the character Shiv Roy actually set aside a block of time on her calendar for crying. You might not need to cry, but Shiv’s got the right idea: Open the calendar on your phone and add in blocks of personal time throughout your day, however you might spend it. Maybe you like to scroll TikTok, look at recipes, work on your creative projects, close your eyes for a moment, or call a friend. Whatever you’d like to do, prioritize it seriously by building the space for it into your schedule. If you use a shared calendar at work or home, block it out so everyone can see. You don’t need to publicly state what it’s for; you’ll know. And you won’t be letting your colleagues or family down since you’ll be even more productive when it’s over.

Most importantly, stick to it. Even 15 minutes per day can be beneficial, but not if you don’t adhere to your plan. Being serious about taking time for yourself will help you build the habit and give you something to look forward to when working gets hard, so treat it like an important step in your workday.

How to time your breaks for maximum productivity

There are a few approaches you can take to ensure your downtime proves to be effective. First, you should be time blocking and time boxing. These similar but distinct techniques involve not only determining exactly how much time you'll need for a given task, but using a calendar or planner to mark it all down. Using something like Google Calendar or even a physical planner, you'll account for every second of your day, so the entire column is filled up with back-to-back entries—but not all of those entries will be for work. Here is your chance to slot in something enjoyable, like a 2 p.m. matcha run or an episode of SVU at 8 p.m. You'll feel better about scheduling downtime if you're doing it alongside the designation of work tasks, and if you can see it all concretely represented in one place.

Second, use the Pomodoro method. This famous productivity hack calls on you to work for 25 minutes, take a five-minute break, work another 25, break again, and repeat the cycle four times before taking a longer break. Building in smaller breaks this way might make the exercise more palatable if you are struggling to justify off-time. Plus, Pomodoro is more flexible than it seems at first, and a lot of variations exist. Take animedoro, for instance: you work for 40 to 60 minutes with a 20-minute break, about the length of an episode of anime. You don't need to watch anime, of course, nor be so rigid with your timing: The important part is being conscientious about interspersing your work sessions with small breaks.

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