Photo: Roman Samborskyi (Shutterstock)
While it makes logical sense that, if you want to get a lot done, you need to operate at a constant state of productivity, the opposite can actually be true. You can sense the need for a break when you hit that afternoon slump and can’t seem to push through the simplest of tasks, and science backs us up: Your brain needs regular downtime. In fact, it needs it so much that you should schedule that rest into your busy day.
Per the Cleveland Clinic, your brain gets oversaturated and needs time to decompress after working on something for a while. Giving it the time to chill out doesn’t just improve your performance and concentration when you get back at it, but can improve your mood overall.
How to schedule brain breaks
It’s one thing to know you need downtime, but another to actually find it. Through the course of a busy day—working, cleaning, studying, taking care of kids, driving, and doing who-knows-what else—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 this week’s episode of Succession, Shiv Roy actually had a block of time built into her calendar to cry. 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, whatever it might be for. 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 right 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 write 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.
