Too many people get caught up in the daily rigmarole of work life and all the related pressures. This is a common reality for people across the board, especially workaholics. Unfortunately, time lost can never be regained – it’s a finite resource for us. If we don’t make the effort to live a balanced life, the imbalance will get the better of us. Stress brought upon by work-related pressures is simply not worth it. The pursuit of happiness is a noble objective, and one which many of us desperately strive to achieve. Here are 5 reasons why you need to seriously consider taking a break from your work routine and embrace life and those in it:
Breaks help people to regain focus on what’s important
Ever heard the expression, ‘I’ve been too busy working to…’? If you’re a workaholic, this sentence is a reality for you. Unfortunately, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and it removes you from reality. When all our focus is on one task, job, or activity for a prolonged period – we tend to neglect other aspects of our lives. However, if you work towards achieving a balanced work-life regimen you will be mindful of your strategic objectives, priorities, and the reasons why you’re working hard to begin with. The Harvard Business Review found that Facebook posts hit a peak at 3 PM – precisely the time when most employees are at their most fatigued. This indicates a correlation between efficiency and focus. We cannot maintain focus indefinitely, and this is an indication that we need to take a break during the day.
Breaks are great for information retention
Our brains function in diffused mode and focused mode. The former is the dreamy state and the latter is the active state. Both are necessary for information retention. Too much focus on one or the other leads to decreased information retention. Various studies indicate that our ability to retain information is stronger when our minds are more relaxed. This is yet another reason why we should regularly take breaks.
Breaks alleviate daily pressures
There’s no doubt that office pressures cannot be sustained indefinitely. Something has got to give, and more often than not it is your health, or your nerve. Many relationships have been severed through excessive work regimens – that’s why it’s important to rebalance your life to be able to enjoy the many facets it has to offer. Sometimes taking a break is as easy as closing your eyes and putting your feet up on the desk. If you’re so inclined, you may find certain activities especially beneficial when you’re taking a break. These include reading, writing, watching TV, playing a game, or simply doodling on a scratchpad.
Breaks interrupt the monotony of work
Believe it or not, work can be incredibly boring even for workaholics. However, it’s the challenge of getting through every day and every obstacle that keeps us going. If you take regular breaks, you interrupt the monotony, and you can attack your challenges with newfound resolve and focus. There are many ways to tackle work-related monotony. These include taking a coffee break, powering up your favourite app and enjoying some game time, or simply getting out of the office with your colleagues for a quick bite to eat. Whatever it is that you need to do – do it. A missed opportunity may slow down your work day and put you in a foul mood. Take a break – it’s important for your mental well-being.
Breaks are great for mindfulness
According to the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology (JOOP), progressive relaxation breaks are great stress relievers. They are better than 20-minute small talk sessions between employees. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, and hypnotherapy can improve sleep quality, reduce blood pressure, and enhance wellness. Viewed in perspective, breaks have many positive effects.
Contrary to popular belief, taking a break doesn’t need to fit one mold or another. You can take a break in any shape, or form, provided you’re taking your mind off the stressor (usually work, or an emotionally draining activity, etc.) and refocusing on something pleasant. For example, smartphone and tablet games are the perfect diversion from work pressures. Whether it’s a puzzle-style game like Cube Blast where you are matching different coloured blocks to remove them from the screen and advance to higher levels of the game, or Online Chess – there is always an entertaining attraction that can take your mind off the present and allow you to focus your energy elsewhere.
Many of these online games have incorporated relaxation techniques into their functionality. For example, the Cube Blast game mentioned earlier is intentionally designed to be relaxing in the manner that players interact with the game. Instead of hitting keys and controls hard, there is a simple and relaxing cube tap function that allows players to ease their way through the game and its components and advance to higher levels. Game architects use psychology and technological wizardry to create relaxation-style entertainment that infuses the right colour combinations, mood elements, rewards, and imaginative flair to make games the perfect distractions for players.
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