Cal Newport, author of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, considers breaks absolutely key moments of the workday that need to be planned. If you don't plan them, at some point your brain will decide for itself when to take a break, which can actually disrupt your work much more. You will start browsing the Internet, reading news items or texts, and be less productive than if you had taken a planned break.
According to Newport, unplanned breaks weaken your willpower, which ultimately leads to you taking more breaks than you need and being constantly distracted. But if you know that you will take a break in an hour, you can now concentrate on work and enjoy the break more.
Change your unhealthy work habits. For example, you may decide to plan a break every day around noon to see how your productivity and ability to manage stress change. Instead of watching online media, however, get up from your computer and go, for example, to cook lunch or out for a walk. Don't be stressed by looming deadlines. Set the exact time that you can afford only for yourself.
Take a break from your daily schedule. Put it firmly in your diary and don't let anyone take this time away from you (for example, because of an urgent meeting). That will have to wait. A break is actually a meeting with yourself and is just as important as any other business meeting.
Newport specifies that you should avoid the same contextual area of your work during the break. In other words, a different kind of work will distract you more than just letting your brain rest for a while.
Avoid this type of break
One thing that should never be considered a break is sorting e-mail correspondence. Many people do this because they see it as a form of relaxation, a less demanding activity that does not throw them out of the work concept but at the same time may be less mentally demanding than other tasks. However, if you look at your inbox, you'll see a lot of messages you don't have time to deal with immediately. According to Newport, this will only create a cognitive catastrophe in your brain.
Test the length of your break so you can relax optimally and return to work. Especially when working remotely, it is important to be able to track these moments and plan well. Be very careful to make the most of the time you have available. The better you plan, the more effective you will be and free of mental stress.
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