Take a break, refresh your productivity

Particularly busy day at ET Towers today. It wasn't until I took a break in the afternoon to grab a few bits for dinner that my mind began to be a little more objective about my current workload.

I had more constructive ideas and clearer thoughts on issues that needed resolving in that forty minute break than the rest of the day.

When you have a busy day at work and you haven't got time to stop and take a break and be objective about how things are going it can be difficult to focus on the priorities and effectiveness of your routine.

Bill Gates wrote this in a 2005 Executive E-Mail column:

"A recent study showed that 56 percent of workers are overwhelmed by multiple simultaneous projects and interrupted too often; one-third say that multi-tasking and distractions are keeping them from stepping back to process and reflect on the work they’re doing. In the United Kingdom, it’s estimated that stress accounts for nearly one-third of absenteeism and sick leave." (Source: http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/execmail/2005/05-19newworldofwork.asp

While technology makes many jobs and tasks easier, it also enables us to do more. But then we are almost expected to do more, but does this in some way stifle creativity and block clear thinking?

I find taking regular breaks, how often depending on the individual needs, clearing the mind, even for a few minutes can help to overcome a creative block, prepare for a nagging deadlines or bring fresh ideas to unsolved problems.