Break Techniques For Efficiency

After noticing a similar habit among highly creative people (Einstein, Mozart, da Vinci, etc), the neuroscientist Dr. Nancy Andreasen designed a brain-imaging study to explore the neural basis of this habit. Essentially, these creative people all carved out time each day for... “Free-floating periods of thought,” Dr. Andreasen writes in her book, “The Creating Brain.” The specifics of the habit differ. Leonardo da Vinci, for example, would often sit in front of a painting “and simply think, sometimes for as long as a half day.” Whereas Einstein loved to aimlessly drift at sea on a little wooden boat he called the “Tinef” (Yiddish for “piece of junk”). He had to be rescued by the Coast Guard so frequently that a friend eventually bought him an outboard motor for emergency use, but Einstein refused it. “To the average person, being becalmed for hours might be a terrible trial,” the friend said. “To Einstein, this could simply provide more time to think.” So, Dr. Andreasen conducted the first study of brain activity during “free-floating periods of thought,” when the body is in a “resting state” and the mind is free to wander. “We found activations in multiple regions of the association cortex,” she writes. “We were not [seeing] a passive silent brain during the ‘resting state,’ but rather a brain that was actively connecting thoughts and experiences.” Essentially, Dr. Andreasen found that the brain defaults to creativity. When the body is still and the mind is allowed to float freely, the brain engages in what she termed REST (“random episodic silent thinking”). And during REST, the brain “uses its most human and complex parts...areas known to gather information and link it all together.” Separate from those that led to Dr. Andreasen's study, I’ve collected many examples of creative people describing their own REST-ful habits: The legendary designer Paula Scher: “I figured out every identity program I’ve ever done in a taxicab…you sit in the back...look out the window and you can sort of let your mind wander.” One of the great songwriters of all time, Paul Simon: “I used to go off in the bathroom...turn on the faucet so that water would run—I like that sound, it’s very soothing to me—and I’d play, in the dark, letting my imagination wander.” (During one of these sessions, these words came to him: “Hello darkness, my old friend / I’ve come to talk with you again”—which became the opening verse of “The Sound of Silence”). The filmmaker Quentin Tarantino: “I have a pool...And I hop in my pool and just kind of float around…and then a lot of shit will come to me. Literally, a lot of ideas will come to me. Then I get out and make little notes on that...That will be my work for tomorrow.” - - - So whether it’s sitting in front of painting, drifting in a boat, riding in a taxi, playing the guitar in a dark bathroom, or floating in a pool, if you want to be more creative, carve out time each day for “free-floating periods of thought.”

What do Albert Einstein, Paul McCartney, and Virgina Woolf have in common – besides being highly influential figures in their respective fields? All three revealed that some of their most creative ideas came to them whilst they were walking or sleeping. Ok, so what’s the brain up to this time? Why should disengaging help #creativity? In 2014, a group of researchers at Stanford measured the positive effects of mild physical activity on creativity – and found that walking boosted creativity by between 50-80%. 👉 When students took a brisk walk around the college campus or walked at a relaxed pace on an indoor treadmill facing a blank wall – their performance on a test of creativity called the “Alternate Uses Task” improved by a whopping 81%! The AUT tests “divergent thinking,” which is the ability to explore many possible solutions, including blue sky or out of the box thinking. 👉 Walking outdoors produced the most novel and highest quality analogies, indicating that walking had a very specific benefit in improving creativity. 👉 Furthermore, walking made people more talkative, resulting in roughly 50% more total ideas being produced compared to when sitting. In other words, just going for a short walk led to a massive increase in creativity. Or, in the words of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, "All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.” Sleeping on it seems to have a similar creativity-enhancing effect as physical exercise. How many times have you come back to tackle a seemingly insurmountable problem after a sleep – or even a nap – and the pieces seemed to fall right into place? Studies have found that during the phase of sleep known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, the #brain is able to make new and novel connections between unrelated ideas, which is a key aspect of creativity. This state of sleep allows for the free association of ideas, which can lead to creative problem-solving and the generation of innovative ideas upon waking. REM sleep is thought to contribute to "incubating" creative ideas, as the brain reorganizes and consolidates memories, potentially leading to creative insights. Both physical exercise and sleep are mood-enhancers, which may contribute to enhancing creativity. Research suggests that positive moods can enhance creative thinking, making it easier for individuals to think flexibly and come up with innovative solutions. Positive emotional states often increase cognitive flexibility, broaden attention, and allow for more associations between ideas, which are key elements of creativity. Turns out, there are practical ways to spark more ‘Aha!’ moments in our lives. The next time you’re struggling to think of a solution to a problem, try taking a walk or sleeping on it – the evidence-backed cheat-codes for unlocking creativity!

The way you take breaks is killing your productivity. Most people think they need long breaks to recharge. But research shows tiny tweaks can make any break more effective. Here’s how to maximize your breaks in three simple steps 🧵 Something is better than nothing. Even one to two-minute breaks can improve mood and focus. Short pauses, even just standing up or stepping outside, help replenish mental energy. Social beats solo. Breaks with others are more restorative than breaks alone. A quick chat, a walk with a friend can reset your brain — even if you’re an introvert. Fully detached beats semi-detached. Checking emails during a break? That’s not a real break. A half-break is almost as bad as no break at all. For a true recharge: -Step away completely. -Leave your phone behind. -Talk about anything except work. Imagine if everyone took a 10-minute phone-free walk with a friend each afternoon. The impact on productivity and mental energy would be massive—maybe even a boost to GDP. And I’m not joking. The takeaway: Take any break instead of none. If possible, do it with others. Fully disconnect—no half-measures. Make your breaks work for you, not against you. What’s your go-to break routine? Drop it below.

One of the most important lessons I've learned in my career is the power of taking a real break. It can be easy to celebrate constant hustle, always-on responsiveness, and squeezing just “one more thing” into the workday. But the truth is that results require rest. Creativity needs breathing room. Well-being demands boundaries. At Verizon, we talk a lot about being our best for our customers, our colleagues and the communities we serve. That starts with being our best for ourselves. And that means knowing when to unplug. Whether it's stepping away for a vacation, signing off fully for the weekend, or just taking a walk between meetings—these moments of true rest are not “nice to have,” they’re essential. They give us the clarity and focus to lead well, solve problems creatively and support one another. I recently took a few days off, and it was cleansing in so many ways. I could hear myself think and felt a sense of peace simply because I made the space to pause. Working endlessly is a direct path to burnout. Nothing will impact your efficiency and productivity more than draining every drop of your energy and attempting to push forward on fumes. My best ideas always come after I disconnect — not when I am running on empty. Here’s the catch. You need to make the time vs. take the time. It may sound like a subtle difference, but unless you carve out dedicated space to untether yourself from work, devices and whatever else you are juggling, it just won’t happen. Changing scenery is not enough. You need a full rest and reboot for it to count. Everyone needs to model this, especially if you’re a people leader. Your teams look up to you. If you don’t truly disconnect, they won’t either. So check in with your teams, talk openly about what you’re doing to step away and make sure they have a break within reach.  I hope everyone reading this finds a chance this summer to really unplug, recharge and come back renewed. It’s one of the best investments we can make — in ourselves and in each other. #VTeamLife #Wellbeing #Culture #lovewhereyouwork #lovewhatyoudo

If you can’t step away from your business, your business is running you. Too many entrepreneurs wear overworking as a badge of honor - skipping meals, sacrificing sleep, burning out silently. But research shows this hustle culture is killing more than creativity. 👉 A study by QuickBooks found that 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟮 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟯 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆. 👉 Mental Health America reports that 𝟳𝟮% 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀, often due to stress and isolation. And yet… we keep pushing, thinking that taking a break means falling behind. When you step away, even for a few hours, your brain shifts from 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲 (constantly responding to emails, messages, tasks) to 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲, which is where deep thinking happens. This idea is supported by neuroscience. Studies on the Default Mode Network (DMN) show that when you're not actively focused on a task, your brain begins to connect dots, reflect, and form insights. That’s why you often get your best ideas in the shower, while walking, or even during a nap. In the book “𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘵” 𝘣𝘺 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘹 𝘚𝘰𝘰𝘫𝘶𝘯𝘨-𝘒𝘪𝘮 𝘗𝘢𝘯𝘨, he explains how some of history’s most productive and creative minds like Darwin, Charles Dickens, and Beethoven worked in short, focused bursts and spent the rest of the day walking, relaxing, or engaging in hobbies. Their breakthroughs didn’t happen at their desks, they happened during the break. Even Bill Gates famously takes “Think Weeks,” where he isolates himself to read, reflect, and generate new ideas for the future of Microsoft. So, stepping away isn’t slacking. It’s 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰. You're not wasting time - you're creating the mental space needed for innovation and long-term growth. Want to break the burnout cycle? I have shared 3 small habits that you can incorporate in your daily routine, in the comments below! You are your biggest asset. Protect your energy like you protect your business. Because when you rest better, you 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 better. #burnout #entrepreneurs #businessstrategies #businessgrowth

Your $500K wellness budget is worthless if people eat lunch at their desks. I know because I've watched companies burn through millions on meditation apps while their people burn out from a culture that punishes taking actual breaks. Last week, a senior exec proudly told me about their new wellness initiative. Yoga classes. Mindfulness workshops. Sleep pods. The works. "What's the uptake been like?" I asked. Silence. Then: "Well, they're pretty busy..." Translation: Never. Because taking a break is career suicide in this culture. This is wellness theatre at its finest. And it's everywhere. Companies spending fortunes on perks while maintaining cultures where: • Lunch at your desk is viewed as dedication to the job • Being seen as "always on" matters more than actual output • Back-to-back Zoom meetings are the norm, so people are forced to do their actual job at night. At Inventium, we don't have a wellness budget. We have something better: • Default to asynchronous communication (meetings are reserved for discussions that absolutely NEED to be in real-time). • Four-day weeks that actually happen (70% of the time is our target) • A culture where taking breaks (and holidays) is celebrated. Your wellness budget might not be the problem. But perhaps your culture is. What unwritten rule in your workplace (or perhaps past ones!) that undermines every wellness initiative? #WorkplaceCulture #MentalHealth #Leadership #OrganisationalPsychology #FutureOfWork

We have normalised the abnormal. And it’s to our detriment. Companies and individuals alike seem to think that it should be accepted to work with constant interruptions and distractions. Radical point of view here: It’s not! The key to productivity isn't doing MORE – more tasks, more meetings, more apps for tracking metrics and deliverables, ANOTHER SPEADSHEET… It’s knowing when to step back and disconnect. A digital detox, if you will. I can tell you with full confidence, after 2 decades being around high performers and executives, that those who achieve the most in their fields are those who aren’t always accessible. Why? They're the ones who deliberately create space for deep work. The science backs this up: achieving flow state—that magical zone where work feels effortless and time melts away—requires three things: → Work that energizes you → Deep focus → The ability to work on the task without interruption How can you achieve all 3 when you’re dealing with yet another Teams notification or Slack message? Each of these interruptions is sacrificing your most valuable resource: your attention. A single interruption costs you not just the seconds to check it, but the additional 23 minutes to fully regain your concentration. My advice? Schedule "meetings of one" with yourself. Block your calendar, silence notifications, and communicate your unavailability just as you would during any other important meeting. Use this time to tackle projects that will benefit from your full and undivided attention. I’m not saying to go full analogue and reject technology completely, but rather to decide to use it intentionally. When you protect your focus time, you can accomplish in 2 hours what might otherwise take an entire day. What's your strategy for creating focus time? Have you experienced the productivity boost that comes from strategic digital detox? #DigitalDetox #LinkedInNewsDACH #ProductivityHacks

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 — 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞𝐬 ☕ I used to take coffee breaks just to scroll my phone, check notifications, and mentally disconnect. Spoiler: I came back more distracted than refreshed. Working 10+ hour days as a Research Analyst taught me this: how you spend your break determines how well you work after it. So I stopped taking default breaks — and started using them intentionally. Here’s how I now make 15-minute coffee breaks actually count 👇 📍𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲. Quick walk. Light stretch. Just getting away from the desk boosts blood flow and clears mental fog — science backs this. 📍𝗡𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀. 𝗡𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸. I used to check LinkedIn or emails “for a sec” — that didn’t help. Now, I use breaks to disconnect fully — so I can return focused. 📍𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘁. Sometimes I take 2 mins to revisit my task list, reprioritize, or ask: What’s the one thing I need to finish today? It keeps me aligned and avoids the afternoon drift. 📍𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲. Not just coffee. Hydration + light snacks = energy boost. Caffeine helps, but balance matters more. Bottom line? A well-used break can add hours of productivity to your day. It’s not about pausing work — it’s about recharging with intention. How do you make the most of your breaks? I’m always up for better ideas — drop yours 👇 #WorkSmart #CoffeeBreakWisdom #ProductivityTips #FocusAtWork

My work is very busy at present. I have a demanding schedule of coaching appointments, workshops, webinars, and learning design deliveries, as well as administrative tasks. So I took yesterday off to ski. Stepping away regularly from work isn't just enjoyable; it’s essential. Research shows that intentional breaks — especially active ones — deliver powerful benefits that enhance our performance and well-being: • 𝗖𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆: Our brains operate on an attention budget that depletes throughout the workday (you may notice, for example, that you are more capable of focused productivity in the morning than at the end of the day). Even brief breaks can replenish this resource. During physical activity, different neural pathways activate, allowing overused cognitive circuits to recover — like resting one muscle group while working another. • 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴: Breaks function to interrupt the cycle of stress accumulation. Physical activity in particular triggers endorphin release and reduces cortisol levels, creating a neurochemical reset. Research from Wendsche et al. published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that regular work breaks were consistently associated with lower levels of reported burnout symptoms. • 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝘂𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Studies in occupational health show that the extended periods of continuous sitting that characterize professional work negatively impact cardiovascular health and metabolism. Active breaks counteract these effects by improving circulation, reducing inflammation markers, and maintaining insulin sensitivity — benefits that persist when you return to work. • 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁: Psychological distance from problems activates different regions of the prefrontal cortex. This mental space triggers  an incubation effect wherein our subconscious continues problem-solving while our conscious mind engages elsewhere. Many report solutions crystallizing during or immediately after breaks. • 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁: Research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that walking increases creative ideation by up to 60%. Additionally, exposure to novel environments (like mountain vistas) activates the brain's novelty-recognition systems, priming it for innovative thinking. • 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆: A study in the journal Cognition found that brief diversions improve focus during extended tasks. Research from Microsoft’s Human Factors Lab revealed that employees who incorporated strategic breaks completed projects 40% faster with fewer errors than those who worked straight through. The irony? Many of us avoid breaks precisely when we need them most. That urgent project, deadline pressure, or busy season seems to demand constant attention, yet this is exactly when a brief disconnect delivers the greatest return. #WorkLifeBalance #Productivity #Wellbeing

Your brain after 4 hours of continuous work performs like you've been drinking. Here's the 10-minute fix backed by neuroscience. Just reviewed fascinating research that every healthcare professional (and frankly, anyone in high-stakes decision-making) needs to know: A new RCT shows that a simple 10-minute physical activity break can boost cognitive performance by up to 42% - with effects lasting 2 hours. The sobering reality? After 17 hours of being awake, our cognitive impairment equals the legal driving limit for alcohol. For those pulling 12+ hour shifts, this isn't wellness advice - it's risk management. Key findings that stopped me in my tracks: 🧠 Selective attention improves 23-42% ⚡ Executive function enhances 22-31% 👁️ Visual processing speed increases 33-42% The neuroscience is clear: moderate exercise increases frontal lobe blood flow by 26-27% and triggers BDNF release - essentially giving your prefrontal cortex the fuel it needs when decision-making matters most. The practical protocol is refreshingly simple: After 4 hours of continuous work 2 min warm-up 6 min brisk walk (even corridors work) 2 min cool-down This isn't about fitness. It's about maintaining the cognitive performance your expertise deserves. For NHS colleagues: Several trusts have successfully implemented this during peak COVID pressures. If we schedule equipment maintenance, shouldn't we schedule cognitive maintenance? For everyone else: Whether you're in finance, law, tech, or any field requiring sustained mental performance - this applies to you too. The choice isn't whether we can afford 10-minute breaks. It's whether we can afford the consequences of not taking them. What strategic breaks have worked for you? #HealthcareLeadership #CognitivePerformance #WorkplaceWellbeing #NHS #BrainHealth #EvidenceBasedPractice #MedicalLeadership #PatientSafety #WorkplacePsychology #PerformanceOptimization