Last semester I learned a great lesson in managing my own work. I took 22 class credits, the maximum number you could sign up for at this particular university and they were not easy classes either. It was my senior year and all of the courses were considered “higher-level”, including my position as a research assistant at a cognitive science laboratory. Every week was chockfull with reading and homework assignments, papers, presentations, studying for exams, and various other odds and ends. My head was spinning. I barely completed my first month before thinking, “There is no way I am going to be able to do this.” Or, at least, I wouldn’t have if I had not changed my strategy.
The first thing I noticed before I knew I had to make a change was my mood, or my overarching mental state throughout the past month. I felt as though my life revolved around the work I did. Work was the center of my day, the center of my being – it was how I began to define myself. This seemed like a reasonable feeling at the time. I did have a lot of work after all, and I had to do a lot of it, and often, if I was going to get it all done in time (the wonderful world of deadlines). But when you begin to lose your self in your work, and not in a good way, then it is time to take a step back.
Whenever I used to get frustrated or angered as a kid my parents would always tell me to take a deep breathe and count to ten. I always hated hearing the advice – it only made me that much closer to punching the nearest wall. But throughout my years I have found out it was not bad advice at all, they were just giving it to me at the worst possible time (the times where you are so upset and outraged that you won’t listen to anybody). So I’m here to tell you now: the next time you are so overworked and frustrated, take a step back, a deep breathe, and count to ten. In fact, this is the least you could do for yourself.
A ten second break is still a break built sometime isn’t enough to dissociate yourself from the overwhelming scenario long enough for you to regroup yourself (OK, it is almost never enough time, but it is at least a good start!) If you want to really become an excellent worker however, you need to be as equally excellent at taking breaks. Think of the guys at Google, one of the biggest and fastest growing companies of our generation. Their work offices have all sorts of fun trinkets and games: there are slides you can use to get down a floor, game rooms with pool tables, foosball, arcade machines, professional massages, and even a room where you can just sit down, relax, and stare at a bunch of fish. The Google people sure know how to take a break – and for good reason!
Any kind of break is a good break. It freshens the mind, gives it time to mold over ideas, and strengthen neural connections in the brain. Taking breaks can facilitate learning, become a creativity enhancer, and energize you before you need to get back on your grind.
Even so, some breaks are better than others, and choosing the right kind of break depends heavily on the kind of work you are absorbed in. If you work is very mentally-intensive, maybe it is a lot of number crunching, problem-solving, or you get paid for your creative output, than it is a good idea to do something physical on your break. It doesn’t have to be as intense as going to the gym or playing football. Just a light jog or walk outside is usually perfect. It gets your face outside of staring at papers or computer screens and gives you time to breathe with nature. If your work is some kind of physical labor, then you may want to do something more restful like read a book, listen to music, or even take a short nap.
Naps are in fact some of the best breaks one can take, both for mental and physical work. I have seen a numerous amount of growing studies show naps to improve people’s efficiency for work – but you need to know how to do it. A nap should typically not last more than 45 minutes (this is when most people enter deep sleep, which is why when you take a long nap you sometimes wake up feeling more tired and drained then before). A short nap, or “power” nap, is often just what people need to give their day a second kick (if you work a 9-5 for example, 2 in the afternoon, or shortly after lunch, is usually a time when most are beginning to wear down – a perfect opportunity to make some Zzz’s).
Whether you spend your break taking a light jog or sleeping, it is important that you take one. Make it a part of your routine to take breaks. If you find yourself constantly tired at a certain part of the day then that is probably a good time to schedule in some small leisure activity. There is nothing worse than a man or woman wasting resources by putting his or her labor into overload. Take the time to recharge yourself, and see the benefits of downtime.
