Cognitively and physically, we are wired as sprinters, not marathoners, explains Heather Denniston
An ultramarathoner decided to find a strategy to uplevel his training. He immersed himself in a tribal community deep in the jungle that ran extensively as part of their culture and survival. They welcomed him to join them, and on the first day, after the third time the tribe stopped to let him catch up, the man approached the tribal leader and said, “I am so sorry you have to stop to wait for me.” The wise leader said, “Oh, we are not stopping for you; we are giving our souls a chance to catch up.”
The end of the day arrives, and you realize your last “break” was a drive-by handful from an open bag of chips, and you can’t remember when you last stood up and stretched.
Breaks – we know we need them, yet rarely take them.
We believe a “push-through” rather than “pause” mentality will make us more productive. The truth is we could not be more wrong. Cognitively and physically, we are wired as sprinters, not marathoners. Our productivity takes a deep nosedive when we push beyond optimal focus limits.
So great, in theory, yes, we should take breaks, but how do we put it into practice when we feel like we can barely get everything done as it is?
Recognize
Recognize that not taking breaks is slowing your productivity. Your ability to focus starts to degrade after about 20 minutes. You are operating on barely a few cylinders by the 40- to 60-minute mark.
Beware
Not all breaks are created equal. One of the most common ways to take a break is the worst! Picking up your phone and scrolling will further strain that already depleted brain battery. You might wonder why. You are making decisions all day long. If we don’t take a break from decision-making during the day, we head toward “decision fatigue.” Your brain only has enough glucose in a day for a certain number of decisions before it starts to fail. Your phone – “swipe, like, follow” – is just high-speed, rapid-fire decision-making.
Engage
Certain breaks will refuel and refresh much better than others. The following is a list of the best break-taking options:
- Stretching – A short, gentle flow, or movement series, is a powerful tool for shaking out the kinks physically and cognitively.
- Daydreaming – Staring out the window and letting your mind wander with no agenda is one of the best ways to take a break.
- Walking – Opposite arm, opposite leg movements like walking are a fantastic way to reset the brain.
- Chat – Not just any chat – chatting with a trusted companion. Anyone other than a good chum means you are spending precious energy filtering and maintaining boundaries.
- Music – The music that makes you smile or brings you joy is best. (Consider binaural beats for brain regeneration and healing.)
- Read – Mindless reading that is uplifting and fun. Not the news! (Think comics or a light novel.)
- Breathe – Any deep breathing is a powerful break option. Consider Andrew Huberman’s “Cyclic Sighing” – half a breath in through the nose, then the other half to peak inhalation, and then breathe out through the mouth. Repeat 15 times.
- Meditate – The “Insight Timer” app has short (6- to 10-minute) guided meditations. One of my favorite teachers, Sarah Blondin, is my break-taking guru.
- Nature – I left this for last. Studies have revealed that getting out into green space paralleled with any of the above-listed break options is like “supersizing” your break. It amplifies the benefits of energy restoration, focus, and mood significantly.
In your role, it can be tricky to prioritize regular breaks. Often, overwhelming and competing priorities trump taking a lap around the room. However, when we internalize that regular pauses are a necessary part of our human make-up, we can guard the precious points in our day that allow space for our souls to catch up.
