We’ve all heard of mini-breaks - little vacations that reset our energy and reinspire us when we come back home or to work. But what about mico breaks? These are like tiny micro holidays we take within the day that also replenish us and in fact, make us more productive and less overwhelmed.
I am a big fan of both the mini-break and the micro-break. Last weekend my family and I met some friends for a cosy long weekend in the snow down in Wanaka in the South Island and I have come back with all cylinders firing.
Let’s talk about why we need a micro-break multiple times a day.
Have you ever sat at your computer or at your desk and just stared blankly at your screen feeling overwhelmed by everything you need to do and limited hours in the day? So much to do but frozen at the thought of it all?
Or do you go into a frenzy of task-switching and manic multitasking with your attention being pulled in all directions just trying to achieve more but not really getting any traction on the things that will shift the dial for you?
Here’s the thing - we are not robots (or chat GBT), we are not designed to work like a machine sitting in front of our computers for hours a day. Our brain and body need to rest and if they don’t we are headed for burnout in one form or another.
One big misconception about being productive or in-flow is that we keep working for long periods of time and just keep producing. We know through all the research that taking breaks is essential for our productivity.
Many of us feel that if we take a break we are wasting our time but over the course of a day or a week, these micro-breaks will actually increase your output.
Some of the scientific benefits of taking a break
- Reduced stress and feelings of anxiety
- Reduced mental fatigue
- Improved focus and attention
- Improved productivity and performance
- Increased energy
- Improved positivity
- Improved eye health
- Increased creativity
All of these factors help reduce the likelihood of overwhelm and burnout.
You might be asking how often should we break?
This is a personal question - I really recommend working in uninterrupted time intervals and these can range from 25 minutes for some people and up to an hour for others. Aim to take one to two breaks per hour to optimise your performance - this follows the Pomodoro method.
A micro-break can be as short as 5 minutes
How to create an effective mico-break
- Choose your break activity before taking the break - this increases motivation
- Set an alarm or reminders for multiple times in a working day as a reminder
- Include movement in our break, this can make you feel more energised and also reduce stress.
- Go outside in nature and take a few deep breaths. Breathing helps us reduce stress and become more present and being in nature is known as a green micro-break. Did you know that simply viewing nature can increase our attention span?
- Habit stack your micro-break with something else you do each day, i.e. take a proper lunch break away from your desk.
- If possible include social interaction, this is a good circuit breaker for our mind but research also shows us we can recover more quickly through social interaction.
Key takeaways from today
Ensure you have multiple micro-breaks in the day, even when you think you are too busy.
There are numerous psychological benefits from stepping away from work that will actually optimise your productivity and output and reduce the overwhelm.
Plan for your breaks, set reminders, get outside, create moments of connection and move where possible.
I would love to hear what you will take away from this article and apply it to your own life. HIT REPLY and let me know.
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