Lunch Breaks For Productivity

You’re not burned out—you’re just taking breaks the wrong way. Here’s how to fix it, based on science. Want to perform better? Take better breaks. Breaks today are where sleep was 15 years ago—underrated and misunderstood. But how you take a break matters. Most people think more work = more productivity. But research shows that strategic breaks are the real key to staying sharp. The problem? Most of us take breaks that don’t actually help. Scrolling alone at your desk? Not it. Here’s how to take a break that actually works: Move, don’t sit – Walk, stretch, or get outside instead of staying glued to your chair. Movement resets your brain. Go outside, not inside – Fresh air and sunlight restore energy and boost creativity. Be social, not solo – Breaks are more effective when taken with someone else. Fully unplug – Leave your phone. No work talk. No emails. No scrolling. Just a real reset. Try this: Take a 10-minute walk outside with a colleague. Talk about anything but work. Leave your phone at your desk. Watch how much better you feel—and perform. Breaks aren’t a luxury. They’re a performance tool. Treat them like it. Got a break routine that works for you? Drop it below Or send this to someone who needs a real break.

Do you feel guilty about taking time off? I used to spend weekends, trips, and lunch breaks (!!) terrified that I was falling behind. I had to constantly fight the compulsion to get back to my inbox. Now I remind myself: Your mental health is the foundation for your ability to do great work. We often think of vacations or breaks as rewards we need to earn. This is backward thinking. Your wellbeing is what allows you to achieve your goals. A successful career depends on you having rested enough to be creative, show up for others, and make good decisions. It sounds obvious but it bears repeating: When you fail to take the time you need to recharge, you set yourself up to fail.

If you ever get anxious before a BIG meeting or presentation, try this technique Navy SEALs use to stay calm under pressure: You’ve probably heard someone tell you: “Just take a deep breath.” It's well-intentioned advice, but only half the answer. When you’re nervous, shallow or erratic breathing can make anxiety worse. What you need is a controlled, proven method to signal safety to your brain. It’s called Box Breathing, and here’s how it works: Picture a box with 4 equal sides Each side = 4 seconds • Breathe in for 4 seconds • Hold for 4 seconds • Breathe out for 4 seconds • Hold again for 4 seconds Repeat for 4 rounds On top of that: While you're doing it, think calming thoughts. Instead of just focusing on the breath, pair it with soothing reminders: • “This will pass.” • “I’ve handled harder things before.” • “I’m safe. I’m prepared. I’ve got this.” When your body and brain both get the message that you're safe, the technique works even faster I use this before speaking on stage, recording videos, or anytime I need to calm my nerves.

Either you control it, or it will control you! Our bodies and minds have limits, and ignoring the need for rest can lead to significant consequences. When we push ourselves too hard without taking regular breaks, we risk burnout, decreased productivity, and health problems. This forced downtime often occurs at the worst possible moments, disrupting our personal and professional lives. So, please: Schedule Regular Breaks: Integrate short breaks into your daily routine. For example, use the Pomodoro Technique—work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. After four cycles, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes. Prioritise Sleep: Ensure you get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Good sleep hygiene, such as a regular bedtime and limiting screen time before bed, can improve sleep quality. Take Vacations: Plan and take regular vacations to recharge. Even short getaways can significantly impact your mental and physical health. Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to signs of fatigue, stress, and burnout. If you feel overwhelmed, take a step back and rest, even if it's just for a few hours. Incorporate Wellness Activities: Engage in activities that promote relaxation and well-being, such as exercise, meditation, hobbies, or spending time in nature. Set Boundaries: Learn to say no and set boundaries to protect your time and energy. Avoid overcommitting and ensure you have time for rest and recovery. By proactively scheduling breaks and prioritising self-care, you can maintain your health, enhance productivity, and avoid inconvenient and disruptive forced breaks.

Your brain isn’t tired. It’s just been sitting too long 👇 We call it “mental fatigue.” But often, the problem isn’t your brain It’s your body. After 20 minutes of sitting, your brain slows. After 20 minutes of walking, it lights up. Want sharper thinking, better leadership, and a calmer mind? Here’s how: 1/ Walk meetings ↳ Replace one 30-minute Zoom with a walking call, creativity increases by 60%. ↳ People open up more when they’re side-by-side, not face-to-face. ↳ Conversations flow naturally when bodies move and so do ideas. 2/ Step resets ↳ Every 90 minutes, take 5–10 minutes to move even around your office. ↳ Movement increases blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, your decision center. ↳ You’ll come back sharper, calmer, and less reactive. 3/ Idea walks ↳ Some of your best ideas won’t come from a whiteboard, they’ll come from the sidewalk. ↳ Walking increases divergent thinking (the science term for “thinking outside the box”). ↳ Capture thoughts in your phone notes; don’t trust your brain to remember brilliance. 4/ Morning motion ↳ Before you scroll or check messages, move. ↳ Morning sunlight + motion resets your circadian rhythm and dopamine levels. ↳ It sets your tone: grounded, focused, present. 5/ Post-lunch strolls ↳ That 2PM fog? It’s not laziness, it’s blood sugar and posture. ↳ Ten minutes of walking balances both. ↳ Skip the extra coffee; the walk is your caffeine. 6/ Walking = thinking ↳ Stillness breeds stagnation. Movement breeds clarity. ↳ The world’s best thinkers from Jobs to Aristotle all walked to think. ↳ You don’t need a bigger desk. You need a better rhythm. 7/ Leaders who move, lead better ↳ Walking improves emotional regulation and patience, two leadership superpowers. ↳ You return from a walk with a clearer head, not just a cleaner inbox. ↳ Your presence improves, and people feel it. Movement isn’t a break from leadership, it’s part of it. A still leader can’t inspire motion. Leaders who move, think better. Leaders who think better, lead better. ❓When’s the last time you walked for clarity, not just for steps? ________ ♻️ Repost if walking has ever sparked a breakthrough idea for you. 👋 Follow me (Dr. Chris Mullen) and get one actionable idea each week through my BETTER AT LIFE newsletter. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gJTcghKK

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

All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking. — Friedrich Nietzsche 💡 Many people claim they do their best thinking when walking. Steve Jobs, famously known for his walking meetings, believed walking stimulated creativity and facilitated more open and creative conversations. 📈 Four different experiments from a Stanford study demonstrated that walking boosts creative ideation in real time and shortly after. The experiments included Sitting inside Walking outside Waking on a treadmill inside Being rolled outside in a wheelchair The result: walking opens up the free flow of ideas, enhancing creativity and divergent thinking. Walking strongly influenced the expression of what the researchers call “associative memory”. Associative memory is a fundamental aspect of our human memory that allows us to remember and connect different pieces of information. When walking, we present more ideas, and the ideas access our unique associative network, which leads to an increase in novelty. Plus, when we sit down after walking, the researchers found that we continue to be more creative even though we are no longer walking. 🌳 When working from home, I love taking quick, 15-minute walks at midday with no tech and focusing on my breath. 🤝 Same goes when working from the office; I love going out with colleagues to a place where we have to walk a bit. When I return, I feel much more energized and ready to start the afternoon. Illustration by me 😊 Extract from a research article from APA. Link to the complete source in the first comment 👇 #walking #creativity #personaldevelopment

Have you ever truly disconnected from your phone and socials while travelling? For the past few days, I did something I'd never done before: I completely switched off my social media and phone. This total detachedness was eye-opening. Instead of checking work emails or social media updates, I became more present and lived in the moment. Surprisingly, I didn't miss anything at all. Here's what I gained: ↳ Deeper connections: I engaged more with locals and fellow travellers - sharing genuine, unfiltered experiences. ↳ Heightened awareness: I appreciated the beauty around me without the urge to capture it on a screen. ↳ Inner peace: The constant noise of notifications was replaced by a calm mind. ↳ Genuine experiences: I was fully present in every moment, making memories that will last a lifetime. Give it a try on your next adventure. You might find that the world is more beautiful and enriching than any digital feed. What’s your take on unplugging while travelling? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. P.S. Even the photo below wasn’t captured on my phone. #digitaldetox #mindfulness #personalgrowth

Have been away for the last few days with the family enjoying some sun in Noosa (what a place!). While I've never felt at ease taking time out and slowing down, I made a conscious effort this time for two reasons. First and foremost, time with my family is now the most important thing for me. Especially as my son grows quickly, watching him splash about in waves and chasing his shadow with a beaming smile for five days will live long in my memory. Secondly, I have come to learn that if I don't take some time out throughout the year, I will just burn out - mentally and physically. This impacts my ability to be present for my family and also the quality of the work I deliver over time. If I look back over the most productive years that I have had, it is easily those where I've had consistent breaks and not 'crawled' to the end of the year. Don't get me wrong, I responded to some emails and took some calls - it's hard not too. But overall, my mind was relaxed and I am back today incredibly focused. With so much going on at speed around us and this focus on 'productivity' currently, it's easy to allow yourself to burn out. While organisations have a role to play in managing workload for its people, we as individuals all have a commitment to ourselves to take accountability for this. Whether it's a long holiday, short break, meditation or digital disconnect for a few hours, make it a priority to slow down and give the mind a break. It will help you personally and professionally in the long run. #mentalhealth #personaldeveloment #mentalbreaks #slowdown #lookafteryourself

My client just called me saying he finds it hard to switch off from work. This is what I explained: Most of us try to slam the brakes at the end of the day. 100 → 0 in five seconds. Imagine if a car did that... Screeching tires. Abrupt impact. Not fun. Not sustainable. So I asked him: “What does switching off actually mean to you?” Is it so you can be fully present with your kids? So you can cook dinner without replaying the last meeting? So you can read, think, or just breathe without distraction? Switching off isn’t about shutting your brain down. It’s about creating a soft landing - giving your mind a gentle transition so you can be fully present in the next thing that matters. Here’s a simple approach I often share with clients: • Write down tomorrow’s first task - so your brain doesn’t carry it. • Close a small loop - wrap up one tiny thing to signal an ending. • Step away from your workspace - stretch, make a cup of tea, or take a short walk. A ritual that signals, “the workday is done.” (I sometimes say this out loud to myself!!) The difference this mindset makes is subtle but profound. Even a small soft landing: • Makes evenings feel calmer • Improves sleep • Helps mornings start sharper • Preserves energy for real focus, creativity, and decisions So try this today! Never underestimate the power of small actions or rituals. How are you going to experience a soft landing today?