All work and no play makes Prof Hacker a dull prof. And you don’t have to wait until the semester ends, either. Indeed, even short high-quality breaks have been shown to increase productivity and creativity. So, here are some suggestions from the ProfHacker archives on how, when, and why to take a break.
Get Some Physical Activity
As guest author Meagan Timney notes in her oft-cited Nurturing the Mind-Body Connection, “physical exercise increases brain function,” “exercise increases serotonin and dopamine production in the brain,” and “physical activity is fun.” Even a short break for a walk around your campus or neighborhood can loosen up your muscles and your mind so that you can return to your desk refreshed.
Erin wrote about the ways that walking her dog has helped her be more active:
It is plenty easy for me to put off exercise even though I know that I feel better and I sleep better when I am active. But it is much more difficult for me to put off a walk when I know that the dog needs the exercise too.
Even a gentle qi gong exercise can help get your energy flowing.
Breathe
I’ve written about the benefits of taking one minute to close your eyes and just breathe. You can also try counting backwards as a relaxation technique.
Play
Use your timer to give yourself a break. Play with a toy or game, read for pleasure, or act like a child.
Take Care of Yourself
Take a nap. Jason reports that 10 minute naps are apparently an optimal duration.
Drink some green tea. Billie emphasizes the ritualistic aspects of preparing tea as well as the tea itself:
In the midst of a hectic and crazed day, a few moments of taking care of yourself can be calming.
Spend some time with your significant other. Nels recommends a weekly Date Night uncompromised by errands or distractions.
Take a Break from Productivity
As Nels said, Don’t Let Productivity Stress You Out:
If you find yourself reading a post on Prof. Hacker and starting to worry about how you could fit that perspective, pedagogical technique, or technology tool into you life, it might be best to move to another post. If you find an idea that really appeals to you but that you can’t see implementing at this point in your career, bookmark that entry and come back to it later.
What’s your favorite way to take a break? Let us know in the comments!
[Creative Commons licensed image from flickr user pauldineen]
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One Response to From the Archives: Take a Break
luisc - November 15, 2010 at 5:47 pm
A quick survey of our office reveals the following relaxation techniques:
Play a short round of Disc Golf on company grounds – The spatial aspects and concentration required are a great way to clear your mind so you can refocus.
Take a walk around the neighborhood- Simply being outside in the fresh air and getting your blood pumping can do wonders for concentration. As an added bonus, the changing scenery provides a peaceful respite from the glare of a computer monitor.
Play a 15 minute round of FIFA or Little Big Planet- Taking a few minutes to completely escape work and do an activity you truly enjoy is great for morale, and an effective way to avoid fatigue.
Meditate- I’ll admit I don’t do this as often as I’d like, but a short session of clearing the mind and focusing only on breathing and relaxation leaves me refreshed like nothing else can.
We’ve generally found any enjoyable activity that temporarily takes us away from our desks to promote greater productivity and prevent that “burned out” feeling. What about other ProfHacker readers? I’m interested to see what turns up.