Having considered the options for opportunities to rest, it turns out that there can be several conscious pauses during work. Lunch break and three or four breaks of 5-7 minutes. How can these breaks be integrated into work as organically as possible? Consider the factors listed below.
Peak Performance Times . You may experience different levels of performance throughout the day. Monitor your schedule for 1-2 weeks and notice what time of day is best for scheduling tasks that require maximum concentration and focus. There may be several such periods during the day.
Task rhythm . Every task has its own rhythm, switching namibia whatsapp phone number from tasks with a fast rhythm, simple and clear, like replying to an email, a message, forwarding a report gives us a feeling of efficiency, things are done quickly and without hesitation. But as soon as a task "to think about" arises, it is a different rhythm, slower. We do not have a solution that appears immediately. We feel that we are wasting time, that we are not productive.
Rhythm addiction is a psychological dependence on the rhythm of a specific task you are doing (Rechtschafen research). We can get caught in a rhythm trap when we need to switch to work at a slower pace, but we can’t.
Switching rhythms can be uncomfortable. To cope with this and not abandon a slow rhythm task, you need to pause when switching to it. Look at what tasks with what rhythm await you during the day, and plan breaks between fast rhythm tasks and slow ones.
Variety of pauses . Note that pauses can have different functions. They can be aimed at stress relief, relaxation (towards the end of the day or after a difficult meeting) or, on the contrary, replenishing energy, improving focus (after lunch or at the beginning of the day).
You can also use the pause to develop your focus, for example by doing only one thing at a time. If you're drinking water, try doing just that. If you're reading an article, finish it without interrupting yourself.
Another way to develop attention is to work with routine tasks that we often perceive as boring and uninteresting. Set aside 2-3 minutes for such a task, and then 5 minutes for a more interesting and enjoyable activity. In the future, increase the interval for doing the routine task and reduce the time for the enjoyable task.
Try mindfulness practices that you can do at your workplace using an app, setting aside five minutes for this. Or even less - devote 2-3 minutes to drinking tea, imagining yourself as a taster and concentrating on the taste, temperature, texture of the drink, trying to let go of all other thoughts that want to appear on the "scene" during your tasting.
Techniques to help you recover from overexertion
To cope with stress, you also want to replenish your energy reserves, restore your strength and cheer yourself up. Small practices related to physical activity and breathing will help with this.
"A cup of coffee" is not only a drink, but also the name of a breathing exercise that helps to activate the body. Take a quick breath in through your nose and a quick breath out through your mouth. Do several approaches of 5-6 breathing cycles, and you will feel warmth, a surge of energy. This type of breathing has contraindications, focus on your health and common sense.
A short warm-up, finger and palm massage, lymphatic drainage exercises or just a walk will help return the body to a sense of activity, relieve congestion in the body, restore blood circulation and oxygen supply. Take such a break from work if you see that you cannot move forward in solving a problem, in negotiations, or are stuck in one place. Take a walk with your interlocutor, and perhaps a solution will come.
Listen to an upbeat song, talk to an optimistic person, do whatever works for you to fill up with energy.
What to consider to ensure quality breaks
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