Take my breath away

I CAN hear myself humming a tune from Top Gun, the original. This article has nothing to do with how dashing the actor back then and maybe until now. It’s about taking a breather—a break from work. Specifically, those breaks that you take throughout the working day.

Common breaks that we take are morning snacks, lunch, afternoon snacks, “yosi” breaks, and coffee breaks. Some also do quick strolls around the neighborhood or the office to stretch their legs.

We often take these pauses for granted. Most of the time, we eat our snacks or lunch at our desks. Coffee—yes, you can always drink it while working. However, it would be ideal if you pay more attention to your breaks since it also increases productivity.

Have you ever experienced that no matter how much you think, your brain doesn’t seem to work? That’s one of the unfavorable effects of not taking a breather.

Breaks make you relax. They relieve you of work-related stress. Envision yourself putting in an eight-hour straight shift without leaving your work area. Just thinking about that would be exhausting, wouldn’t it?

Breaks are there for a reason. They serve a purpose. These are not technical parts of your work schedule. It helps you avoid burnout. Companies have seen this, and this is why they have pantries or coffee areas in your offices where you’re supposed to take your snacks or lunches.

Walking around your office’s neighborhood is also a good idea. It makes room in your head for new concepts. It is typical for people whose work involves a lot of writing and analysis to encounter brief mental blocks. It is comparable to milder cases of writer’s block experienced by authors.

This quick stroll also benefits your health. Walking improves your breathing and increases energy levels, to name a few.

Even your eyes need to take a vacation from the radiation. The screen gives off radiation that can put strain on your eyes. One side effect is eye strain, which can cause headaches, blurred vision, and dry eyes. Another side-effect is seeing double. It would be great if seeing double could also double your funds. If your eyes could talk, they would scream, “Give me a break!”

To reduce eye strain, try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Or, you can take a 30-second break from your eyes by concentrating on a white, blank wall.

Try either of these two and see the difference it makes. It refreshes your eyes and reduces eye strain. Take also this time to make small talk with your colleague. This small talk might lead to bright ideas.

So don’t ever be guilty again of taking a break. Just don’t overdo it or go beyond what is acceptable. The rule is that work hours should be more than your break time. The bottom line is no matter how you do it, productivity prevails.