In today’s society, where there is continuous pressure to become more successful, more and more people are feeling the impact of working too much. Eventually, your health will start to suffer, and instead of becoming more productive, you will end up taking time off because of illness.
Psychologists emphasize the importance of taking regular breaks. If you want to maintain a well-balanced lifestyle, take some time off to recharge your mind and refocus on your goals.
Why is it essential to take breaks?
In most developed countries around the world, employees are rewarded based on the amount of work they put in. Hence, there is always a temptation to do overtime or extend work hours. But it is a misconception that you become more productive the longer you work. Unfortunately, your output suffers as your body succumbs to fatigue. Since the human body is not a machine, you need to listen when it is time to move away from your work desk to get a cup of coffee, or when it is time to use one of your vacation days.
Refuelling your body in simple ways
Taking breaks does not mean you need to plan some intricate activities to fill in the time. If you have chosen to take a day off from work, you can use the time to meditate, exercise, or play a little online bingo. Anything you fancy is okay, as long as you are allowing your mind and body to rest from your ordinary labors.
They say that self-care is critical to your physical and mental health. If applicable, you can also choose to unplug from all digital channels that occupy you. For example, take a social media fast or go camping in the woods where you can reconnect with nature and introspect. These moments when you are not overwhelmed by targets and deadlines provide the best opportunity to reassess your current situation and make goals for the future.
Additional benefits of taking breaks
In addition to keeping your mind and body healthy, regular breaks are encouraged for several reasons, including:
- Restoring motivation.When we are faced by challenging tasks, it helps to step away from it for a while to renew your drive and sustain motivation.
- Increase creativity and improve productivity.Indeed, when you work long hours without taking breaks will result in mental exhaustion. You often experience a bout of creativity after taking a much-needed break. Your output also improves when you allow your body to rest and refuel.
Although we are stressing the importance of breaks for a healthy lifestyle, it is also vital to understand that there are reasonable breaks and there are bad breaks. You need to ensure that when you do step away from your work, you are only doing it at a time when you feel least productive. However, when you are still taking pleasure out of the task you are doing, it is best to continue the flow until you reach a point when you have already exhausted your mental or physical faculties.
In conclusion, your productivity depends on mindfulness and being able to listen when your body is telling you to stop. Recharging by taking breaks will not only help improve your focus but also keep your body in optimum condition to keep going.