Contrary to popular belief, taking breaks—if they are the right kind—can actually increase productivity rather than decrease it.
This handout discusses when to take breaks, what kind of breaks to take, and how to incorporate breaks into your day depending on how much time you have, what you need to get from your break, and how you feel.
Why are breaks important?
When you are working or studying hard, your brain has to resist distractions in order to focus on the task at hand. This level of concentration gets harder by the minute as your brain expends energy! Effective breaks can help to reduce your stress levels so that you`re ready to re-focus when you return to your work. Taking breaks while studying can even improve recall!
What breaks are less effective?
nfortunately, instead of leaving you feeling replenished, some breaks may have the opposite effect and leave you feeling further depleted. In particular, scrolling on your phone or surfing the internet can overload your prefrontal cortex with decision-making (Which link should I click on? Which photo do I pause over?) and can become addictive. Consequently, these types of breaks can make you feel less in control and cause you to experience negative emotions. If you are unsure, check in with yourself the next time you are on a device. (How do I feel at this moment? Does ____ activity make me happy? Do I feel like I have agency over this experience, or is it something that is just happening to me?)
For example, consider this list of common but generally less-effective study breaks:
- Scrolling through and posting on social media
- Reading and responding to emails
- Surfing the internet
If you’ve been working on a screened device, remember that screens can tire your eyes due to the close range in which you engage with them and their emittance of blue light. So it’s common to need to take a break from screens in general. Especially if you are taking classes remotely and already have a lot of mandatory screen time every day, take a break that helps you unplug to give your eyes and brain time to relax and recharge.
What kinds of breaks have positive effects?
After reading the section above, you might be thinking, “Well, what kind of break is effective?” In general, effective breaks help you distance yourself from work-related thoughts and facilitate an experience that will leave you feeling more refreshed. It can help to start by asking yourself, “What do I want out of my break?” Effective breaks tend to require intrinsic motivation. Does it help you relax?
Here is a chart of a few different kinds of breaks that may help you to feel refreshed when you return to working:
| Type of Break | Suggested Activities | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Get creative |
|
Creative activities have a variety of potential benefits. They can help you exercise your right brain, give your prefrontal cortex a break, improve your memory, and help your brain produce dopamine. |
| Move |
|
Any kind of movement is a great way to take a break; it increases your executive functioning and also improves your alertness, attention, and motivation. Even a simple change in location, inside or outside, can produce calming effects or help you fight off boredom. Moving around and completing a small task may even provide a sense of accomplishment that can help build your productivity and motivation. |
| Nourish your body and mind |
|
Taking a step back to take care of your body and mind can help you reduce stress and feel more rested, productive, and attentive when you return to your work. |
| Socialize |
|
When you engage with others, you experience a feeling of social connectedness, which can create a positive emotional state. |
How long should a break be?
Building in regular, short breaks can help you stay motivated.
Many people find it helpful to use the Pomodoro technique, in which you work for twenty-five minutes, and then take a five-minute break.
After four twenty-five minute work sessions, give yourself a longer, twenty- or thirty-minute break.
You might consider starting with this strategy and adjusting your breaks to fit your needs.
Some studies have shown that by interleaving, you can get some of the same benefits that a break would provide.
But think of this as a short-term strategy until you can work more time into your schedule.
How can you determine which breaks are best for you?
Everyone is different, so what might be a great break for your friend may not be the best kind of break for you. The best thing you can do is self-monitor and learn by keeping a record of how different kinds of breaks make you feel. For a break that will leave you feeling more creative, consider changing your environment and going outside. You might even consider making a “break menu” of activities that meet one or more of the criteria above.