Here's how you can optimize productivity in R&D with breaks.

Optimizing productivity in R&D hinges on strategic breaks. Think of R&D as a marathon, not a sprint. Breaks act as vital rest stops, allowing your brain to recharge and preventing burnout. They vary from quick five-minute walks to longer lunch breaks, but the essence is stepping away from your work. This respite lets your subconscious process problems, often sparking 'eureka' moments. Just like a fallow field becomes more fertile, your refreshed mind is more innovative and productive. Embrace breaks as essential tools for sustained creativity and efficiency in your research endeavors.

Breakthroughs in R&D don't happen on a schedule. Someone much wiser than myself once said, "If you could make technological breakthroughs on a schedule, it wouldn't be research." - Paul Englemann. I remember attending a seminar once on a topic called "Blue Notes." The idea was that you get your best ideas in places where it is inconvenient to do the work, but if you keep some 3x5 cards handy, I'll let you guess the color, then you can jot down the idea and get back to whatever you were doing, perhaps sleeping. I still keep a notebook handy as much as possible. When we take breaks, when we get proper rest, we free up our minds to put together the things we experience and that is where the breakthroughs happen.

Schedule breaks wisely to optimize R&D productivity. Timing is crucial—plan breaks at regular intervals to avoid the mid-afternoon slump. Align breaks with your natural energy patterns, such as every 90 minutes or after completing major tasks. By recognizing when your concentration dips, you can take breaks that rejuvenate your mind and body. This approach ensures you return to work refreshed, maintaining high productivity and clear focus throughout the day. Adapting to your natural rhythms maximizes efficiency and enhances your R&D efforts.

Always pay attention to your body, but if you have momentum, don't lose it for the dogma of schedule. It's good to keep a sleep log, and even to journal when you feel most awake, or least, throughout the day. This might change over the week. My Monday and Friday look nothing alike. Tuesdays, I often wake up at 0300 and cannot get back to sleep. My brain is already busy with the problems that pique my passion. That's a good time to work the problem. It might only last an hour or it might keep me engaged until lunch, but when I feel the energy draining from me and the path forward is not obvious, it's time to do something else or just clear my mind. Schedules are fine, but don't be afraid to break the schedule. Be self-aware.

I like to stretch, and Aikido has given me a number of good exercises in this regard. Philosophically, Aikido has also given me a framework to manage complex problems. I find soft or symphonic music to be helpful to relax, and upbeat music useful for focus. One admonition I do have is that food is a bad break habit. Coffee, tea, or a warming beverage is helpful, but food has proven counter productive unless it really is time to eat (i.e. pay attention to your body). Eating needlessly, or eating sugar has been destructive to my productivity in my experience. If you're trying to regain focus, break the monotony. I find my motivation is driven by my ability to see the path forward clearly. After that, it's just working the problem.

it's fascinating how we often have the answers to our challenges but overlook them due to our existing knowledge and habits. Engaging with others, even outside of R&D, can spark fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. Having little talks with others during breaks or even after works can bring to light ideas we might not have considered on our own, offering invaluable insights and relieving mental blocks.

This is actually extremely important. Unplugging makes us pay attention to the World around us. It gets us out of the "echo-chamber" of an over-connected society. When it comes to social media, remember that it is designed to keep your attention, which can often be a waste of time. Be skeptical, but try not to be too cynical. A walk in the woods does wonders for the psyche. If you play a musical instrument, that can be an excellent way to unplug. If you don't, give it a try. You might surprise yourself. Lately, I've been working week-after-week to reduce my screen time, and I use my iPhone to monitor my screen use outside of my job. That has proved very helpful to my productivity.

Thomas Edison is known for saying, "Genius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration." He's not wrong. We get ideas all the time, good ideas some of the time. How do we tell the difference? We have to, "work the problem." There are no short cuts to doing the work. There are efficient ways to work, but the work itself must be done, and the questions needing answers must indeed be answered. One thing I've learned through developing the new Material Modeler Polymer Tools for Altair is that 90-99% of the time is spent, "working the problem." That is where the really impressive developments happen. At Culver we used the term, "attention to detail." Being ever-mindful, and attentive to details while developing anything goes a long way.