Don’t Quit Too Soon
One thing to note: The popular Pomodoro Technique, which involves working for 25 minutes before taking a three- to five-minute break, is more of a method for fighting procrastination than optimizing deep focus. It takes time to get back to work after an interruption, Mr. Hari said. If your timer goes off but you’re still in the zone, keep going.
Consider your own circadian rhythms before arbitrarily setting a timer. Many people have peaks in their ability to pay attention around 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., with things often dropping off after lunch, Dr. Mark said. You may be able to focus for longer in the morning, but need more frequent breaks later in the day.
Break Your Sedentary Ways
Heading out into nature for some sort of physical activity is one of the best ways to give your brain a break, Dr. Mark said. She worked on a study with Microsoft Research that found that workers who took a 20-minute walk in nature came back to their work with greater “divergent attention,” meaning they had more creative ideas upon returning than those who kept working.
If you can’t get out into nature, a walk through your office building will also confer benefits. Dr. Pillay refers to midday physical activity as a “booster break,” based on a 2013 study that found workers that took a 15-minute physical exercise break reported reduced stress and enhanced social interaction in their workplaces.
Put Your Phone Away
“We’ve devalued the idea of what a break is so that it’s, ‘I took a break from looking at my emails on my computer so I could take a walk and look at my emails on my phone,’” Mr. Hari said. Checking emails is still challenging your brain to stay in the task-related network, so you’re not exactly letting your mind wander. Even browsing social media may not be the brain break you think it is.
“If you see something upsetting on Twitter, that can interrupt your task at hand,” Dr. Mark said. “That’s going to stick with you as you move on to something else.” When that happens, you won’t be starting your next task refreshed and ready to focus, which was the goal of your break.
Let Your ‘Little Mind’ Play
In a 2013 Daily Beast article, Maya Angelou referred to her work process as switching between her “big mind and her little mind.” Her big mind did the heavy lifting, crafting the poems she became famous for. Her little mind, which she used in between writing sessions, loved doing crossword puzzles.
