I’ve heard people talk about the benefits of taking regular breaks. And I believe them. Whether it be for health reasons, or the sake of productivity, regularly taking time to step away from what you’re working on can make a difference. And although you may not end up putting as many minutes into what you’re working on, the time you do put in will often be used more effectively, and you may actually end up getting more done.
Taking short breaks every so often—perhaps every thirty to sixty minutes—can give your mind and body a needed break, as well as present you the opportunity to assess and prioritize what needs to be done. Without taking breaks, you may be able to work on something for quite a while, but you may not necesarily stay as sharp as you could be.
I’ve seen this happen in my own life. I’ll get caught up doing something, and end up spending way more time on it than I had planned, and then in hindsight realize I should have taken some breaks along the way. I’ve also had days where I’ve been more intentional about taking a short 2 or 3 minute break every half hour, and I tend to feel better and be more productive on those types of days.
Breaks have their place, but they’re no replacement for actually doing the work. Yet when used appropriately, they can actually enhance the work we do and the way we feel along the way.