Take a break and increase your productivity.

Too often we forget that we need to give our brain a little rest, it is a muscle after all. A few months ago, I found my productivity take a plunge towards the middle of the week and I was never able to get it back up to the level I was at on either Monday or Tuesday. I decided to intervene and conduct a test on myself.

I took breaks, I took more breaks for shorter periods of time, I continued to take a break and the length of the break got smaller until I reached what I call my "ideal break time". After I reached my "ideal break time" (about 2 mins), I was able to keep a consistent productivity throughout the week. It felt, great, I was able to get more done, I felt refreshed and energized every time I sat at my desk (I'm a business intelligence analyst, so extended periods of sitting is a nature of the business). After a couple months of this constant break taking I started to deteriorate again and felt my productivity slip away. Around that time, I friend a co-worker who smoked. He saw that every so often I'd get up and stretch and so he decided to ask me if I'd mind giving him some company while he smoked. I didn't think much of it and it aligned with my break pattern so I went along. A couple weeks blew by and I forgot that my productivity was sinking and then it dawned upon me that it wasn't just the act of getting up from my computer and stretching but, it was the breath of fresh air (literally), the conversation and the ability to step away from work while at work.

Since then I've employed a few key things that I think everyone will benefit from in their daily lives to increase productivity at work. My list is as such:

1. Take breaks, make them small, but take them often.

2. Friend someone who smokes or take a stroll outside and breath in some fresh air. This will not only get you out but will also get you away from the office and get you some much needed clean air.

3. Step away from work at work. Taking a break doesn't mean getting away from your desk and continuing to talk about work. Step away from it, talk about sports, talk about life, coffee, the weather, anything but work. This gives your brain a true break.

4. Get the blood pumping. I've now started keeping a football at my desk and go toss it around for 2 minutes a few times a day. This has been great. It gets be going, the blood pumping and I'm ready to tackle the rest of the day.

5. Drink water. I can't begin to explain how much more active I've started to feel once I started drinking more water. I'm a coffee person and on average will go through 6-7 cups of coffee a day. I tried to cut the habit and needed a filler, I started drinking water. I feel refreshed, my thirst is quenched and I feel active, think no caffeine crash.

I've now given this advice to a few friends and those who've tried it, love it. Others are skeptical and concerned that they may get in trouble or be seen as a slacker for taking more breaks. For them I'd like to use the following quote from Neil Gaiman's 2012 commencement speech, he says the following, "if people are easy to get along with, the work is good, and their work is delivered on time people will deal with you." He goes onto say, "you don't need to be all three, two out of three is fine. People will get along with you if, you're a pleasure to deal with and your work is good, or, if your work is good and it's on time, they'll even tolerate your unpleasantness."

This quote is a great reminder that, at the end of the day, if you're work is good, you've delivered it on time, no one will mind if you take an additional 10 minute break or not. Chances are that additional break will help you deliver good work.

So, there's my advice, and if you do decide to follow it, let me know if it works for you, or if you've got anything to add to it.

Now, go take a break, rest the mind and get more productive.