Take a break ...
This is not another Day Before Vacation blog, I have written enough of them in the past. This is about your current workday, and using breaks effectively.
In a great podcast this morning on The Jordan Harbinger Show I listened to Daniel Pink talk about the science behind perfect timing. The show runs about an hour, and is well worth the time. However, my number one take-away is the comment Daniel made "taking a break is part of being productive, it isn't unproductive".
The Grind
We all have different times of the day where we grind. You know that time of the day, fighting to look at one more page of a report, or fill in one more column of a spreadsheet. Daniel mentions a simple exercise he does called the 20/20/20. Every 20 minutes, he focuses on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It gives his eyes a break, and just enough time to get him out of that trance.
There are many different ways to get a break in during your trough or low-time of the day. I use a simple method of getting up and walking (preferably outside) for a minimum of 15 minutes, every 90 minutes. I have even set alarms on my desktop to make sure I at least pay attention to the time. Sometimes its impossible, but get moving.
Keys to a good break
Get outside if possible, take the break with someone, don't talk about work, and MOVE. We all know that sitting is the new smoking, so taking a break and not moving is not enough.
Side note ...
Earlier this week I wrote about coincidences, and here's another one ... Daniel Pink, Jordans guest today, is one of the 4 speakers at my Live2Lead Event on October 12th! Get more information by clicking here ...
At the Kole Performance Group, we can help you learn how and when it's a good time to break, grind, or just pack it up and grab a beer for the day ...