Why It Is Smart to Take Breaks During the Workday

If you are not yet in the habit of taking regular breaks throughout your workday, we are here to tell you why you should! While it may seem counterintuitive to set aside time to step away from your desk when you have a million things on your to-do list, taking a break can actually help you better tackle every task throughout your day.

Our brains significantly lose focusing and problem-solving power if they spend too long on a single task—which means working too hard on something can actually hinder performance.

Below, we will look at why you should consider taking regular breaks throughout your workday and how it can actually help you get more done in the long run.

Why Should I Take Breaks During the Workday?

Taking breaks during the workday is known to have many benefits, including improved outlook and decreased instances of burnout. Some of the key benefits include:

Information processing and problem-solving. Taking regular breaks is key to helping our brains synthesize information and problem-solve more effectively. By stepping away from your desk, you can give your brain more space to process information, which can lead to more effective processing of information that can help you reach conclusions to your issues.

Schedule constraints can lead to productivity. If you schedule your breaks for the end of each hour, for example, that is a hard deadline you have to be aware of. Some research indicates that having these deadlines can help us be more productive during our work periods, due to the theory that work can expand to take up the time it is allotted.

Increase perspective and creativity to tackle tasks. Zoning in on problems or tasks may seem like the most efficient thing to do on the surface, but getting too focused can actually hinder performance. By stepping away and giving your brain some room to breathe, you can get more perspective and even think of more creative ways to tackle the topic at hand.

If you are interested in discovering a better way to work, we would love to chat with you. We offer flexible workspace solutions designed to meet your needs—contact us today to learn more.