You might think that stopping work or a task will interrupt your focus and waste time. But taking regular mini breaks can give you all kinds of benefits. You might:
- Be able to concentrate better
- Get fewer typical desk-bound injuries
- Feel less stressed
- Find work more enjoyable, motivating, and engaging
It doesn’t really matter what you do. Make a drink, watch a funny video clip, gaze out of the window for a while, or take a few minutes to stretch. The important thing is to take your mind off your work for a while and give your brain a little rest.
The Pomodoro Technique
Some people swear by the Pomodoro Technique, which was developed in the late 1980s by university student Francesco Cirillo. He used a tomato-shaped timer (tomato is pomodoro in Italian) to set himself bursts of activity and breaks.
There are 6 steps in the Pomodoro Technique:
- Choose the task you want to focus on.
- Set your pomodoro timer (tomato shape is optional) for 25 minutes.
- Get working – and stay focused!
- Stop work when the timer rings and take a 5-10-minute break.
- Go back to step 2 and repeat three more times.
- Once you’ve taken 4 shorter breaks, take a longer 20-30-minute one.
This method can be particularly helpful if you’re the type of person who gets easily distracted – but it’s useful for everyone, as it gives a set routine to follow. You don’t even have to remember the steps yourself - there are loads of apps out there based on this technique, such as Pomodor and Flow (for Apple users).
Why not try this today and see if it helps you stay focused and fresh?