If You Want To Be More Productive, Research Shows
You Need A Break
Do you spend the majority of your day at your desk? And do find it difficult to
concentrate throughout the day? There’s a simple solution to improve your productivity
and focus. “How can I get more stuff done without being distracted?”
That’s a question I often get. It’s human nature: We always want to improve output. For
machines, it’s straightforward: You improve speed. Machines get faster and better every
day. But what about your personal productivity? I’ve read dozens of books on
productivity. I’ve read countless articles on time-management. And I’ve tested different
methods to boost my productivity.
The idea is simple: I want to get more done in the same amount of time. I’m not looking
for shortcuts or hacks, so I have to do less work. I don’t mind working. What I don’t like
is the feeling of wasting time on stuff that is meaningless. Sometimes I start by watching
one YouTube video, and BOOM, 2 hours have gone by.
And then I get frustrated with YouTube. But that doesn’t make sense. It’s like getting
angry with alcohol after you’ve spent a night boozing. It’s not the alcohol, IT’S YOU. You
just couldn’t have one drink, or watch just one video. Couldn’t you?
I’ve found a way to eliminate that frustration with the distractions of work (not
boozing), which makes it lot more fun to work and less stressful.
The solution is simple: Take a 5-minute break after every 30 minutes of work.
It’s also called the Pomodoro technique. The reason this method works is also simple:
Evolutionary biology. The human brain can’t focus on a single task for long periods. Our
brains are meant to ensure our survival. To protect us from looming threats the brain is
in a constant state of alertness. So focusing on one thing for a long time is hard for your
brain.
Research by Alejandro Lleras, from the University of Illinois, showed that deactivating
and reactivating work allows us to stay focused. When you are completing long tasks,
such as studying for exams, making presentations or writing reports, it’s best to take
short, and planned breaks.
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