{"id":4176,"date":"2012-06-19T01:52:22","date_gmt":"2012-06-19T06:52:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markdroberts\/?p=4176"},"modified":"2015-03-13T15:32:13","modified_gmt":"2015-03-13T20:32:13","slug":"got-a-lot-to-do-then-take-a-break","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markdroberts\/2012\/06\/19\/got-a-lot-to-do-then-take-a-break\/","title":{"rendered":"Got a Lot to Do? Then Take a Break!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

So writes Phyllis Korkki, writing for the New York Times<\/em>. In \u201cTo Stay on Schedule, Take a Break,\u201d<\/a> Korkki examines and summarizes evidence that intentional break-taking improves performance and efficiency. Here\u2019s her point in a nutshell:<\/p>\n

A growing body of evidence shows that taking regular breaks<\/a> from mental tasks improves productivity and creativity \u2014 and that skipping breaks can lead to stress and exhaustion.<\/h3>\n

Why is this true?<\/p>\n

Mental concentration is similar to a muscle, says John P. Trougakos, an assistant management professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough and the Rotman School of Management. It becomes fatigued after sustained use and needs a rest period before it can recover, he explains \u2014 much as a weight lifter needs rest before doing a second round of repetitions at the gym.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Photo from http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/gemsling\/<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s wise to take breaks before you run out of mental gas entirely:<\/p>\n

Try to take a break before reaching the absolute bottom of your mental barrel, Professor Trougakos says. Symptoms of needing time to recharge include drifting and daydreaming.<\/p>\n

But,<\/p>\n

There is no need to take a break if you\u2019re on a roll, Professor Trougakos advises. Working over an extended period can be invigorating \u2014 if it\u2019s your choice. What drains your energy reserves most is forcing yourself to go on, he says.<\/p>\n

Trougakos isn\u2019t the only researcher who is convinced that we need more breaks:<\/p>\n

[W]orkers don\u2019t take enough breaks \u2014 especially breaks involving movement, says James A. Levine<\/a>, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic. He has done studies showing that workers who remain sedentary<\/a> throughout the day are impairing their health.<\/p>\n

Levine is also a proponent of naps, though he cautions employees to make sure this is okay with management.<\/p>\n

Korkki\u2019s article has more to say on the topic of break-taking, so I encourage you to check it out<\/a>. I, for one, am going to test the break theory right this very minute.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So writes Phyllis Korkki, writing for the New York Times. In \u201cTo Stay on Schedule, Take a Break,\u201d Korkki examines and summarizes evidence that intentional break-taking improves performance and efficiency. Here\u2019s her point in a nutshell: A growing body of evidence shows that taking regular breaks from mental tasks improves productivity and creativity \u2014 and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1838],"tags":[16968,9344,16969,16771,21636],"class_list":["post-4176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-work","tag-breaks","tag-exercise","tag-napping","tag-rest","tag-work"],"yoast_head":"\nGot a Lot to Do? Then Take a Break!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"So writes Phyllis Korkki, writing for the New York Times. 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