- Take a break
Now this one might seem obvious, but any break is better than having no break. One study found that when asked to focus on a task for 45 minutes people who took a five-minute break performed better than those who didn’t stop at all. While working through lunch to get that report done might seem like a good idea a break can help improve the quality of the work.
- Make your break different than if you are at work
Think about your office break, you might look at twitter, watch a video, or scroll through your phone. We take a break from a screen with a screen. Take advantage of being at home, walk the dog, go for a run, or check the fridge lookup a 15-minute recipe and get cooking. You’ll feel better for having done something different and be ready to work on your return.
- Break with a work mindset
A break doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not being productive; it just doesn’t have to be about work! Try to take a break and complete a chore. Take 5 minutes and empty the dishwasher, put on a wash, or take the bins out. Completing a task can make you feel better and help you relax without coming out of the work mindset.
- Use “Microbreaks”
A break doesn’t have to be a lengthy undertaking. If you’ve got momentum and want to finish a task but feel like you need to step away for a little bit, do it! Microbreaks are short under one-minute breaks where you simply switch off. Walk up the stairs, go out to the garden and breath, when you come back you’ll still have momentum but you’ve given yourself time to reset.
We hope you take on board some of the advice above when you’re working from home and you can increase your productivity along the way. Make the most of your breaks to help make the most of your time. It’s so important to factor in breaks when you’re trying to manage your time, here at 1Time we know a thing or two about time management, so if you have any questions feel free to reach out to us. Our software helps you make the most out of your time and become more productive. If you would like to see for yourself the benefits of 1Time you can avail of our 30day free trial by following the link.