How to Manage — and Avoid — Mental Fatigue

Mental heavy lifting can affect your health as much as physical labor. As your brain tires, it becomes less efficient, and the longer you work without rest, the harder tasks feel and the more difficult it becomes to stay focused. Here are three ways to delay or reduce mental fatigue during the day so you’re more productive.?

Take frequent breaks. Stretch, walk around the block, or even take a brief nap. In high-pressure situations, pausing for as little as five seconds every two minutes can improve performance significantly. For more constant mental heavy lifting, aim for a break every 20 minutes, and for periods of deep concentration, take 10-minute breaks no more than 90 minutes apart.?

Limit intense work to four hours a day. Working beyond this can result in mental fatigue that carries over into the next day, preventing proper recovery. Try structuring your work in 90-minute blocks, interspersing intense tasks with easier, lower-effort activities such as responding to emails.

Engineer rewards to motivate yourself. If you know you have a long day to get through, scheduling a concrete reward at the end of the day—such as a movie screening or a catch-up with a friend—can help you get through it.?

This tip is adapted from “How to Manage—and Avoid—Mental Fatigue,” by Mithu Storoni.