How (properly) wasting time at work increases productivity

If you’ve ever watched a professional tennis match, you’ll know how much stamina the sport requires. From thigh slaps to squats to light jumps, players will do just about anything to maintain their high energy and laser-focus. A crucial part of the match, however, occurs in the brief pause between games: the 90-second changeover break, when players rest before switching sides. Watch closely, and you’ll see how players make the most of these precious moments: burying their heads under a towel to meditate, changing their racquets, or fueling up on water and energy drinks. Some players, like the great Serena Williams, have even sipped a quick coffee before returning to the court. Whatever their method, these pro athletes understand the value of a break. A brief reprieve can provide a fresh surge of energy and motivation for the next game. Much like a tennis match, the workday can also be a daunting mental and physical challenge, especially if you want to perform your best throughout the day. In addition to finding your optimal work hours , taking multiple breaks can increase your productivity all day long. I’ll repeat that for emphasis. Taking breaks can increase productivity. Our workaholic culture and the business epidemic tend to villainize time-wasting behaviours during work — like leisurely lunches and web browsing — but research proves that breaks can enhance your performance, on many levels. Brief periods of distraction have been shown to improve both decision-making and creativity . On the other hand, prolonged attention to a single task can actually hinder performance. Pulling an all-nighter for one assignment? Not such a good idea after all. There’s also evidence that waking periods of mental rest can improve memory formation. Apparently, during rest periods, your brain reviews and ingrains what it has previously learned. Without […]

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