How often do you lose focus during the day?
Every day I always have a long list of daily tasks to complete. There’s so many areas I have to give my undivided attention to.
It isn’t easy.
Taking a break is hard for me.
I’m not talking about a 5 minute coffee refill, I’m talking about a real, honest-to-goodness break. No multi-tasking allowed.
Take a Break
Making an effort to get away from technology and work for at least a 15 minute span of time can greatly improve your focus. This study shows how taking more breaks can make you more productive then those who try and work straight through the day.
I recently read workers who spend more than 40 hours a week working are getting less done than those who put in 40 hours or less. At a certain point our brains cannot focus without taking a break.
Taking your focus away from the task at hand allows you to gain more focus when you return.
Go Outside
How often do you step outside for some fresh air during your workday?
Studies show talking a brief walk and getting outdoors can greatly improve your mood, reduce stress and increase your overall mental health.
I live in Wisconsin. Taking a walk outdoors in January is no picnic. We all have our excuses to be lazy and stay indoors. But if it means I am causing my own mental health to suffer I think I can bundle up and go for a short walk outside any time of year!
One of my favorite activities during warmer months of the year is biking. There is nothing better than feeling fresh air on my face, cars and people going by and spending a little time enjoying nature. Just this week I watched an eagle soar overhead as I biked down the Chippewa River Trail.
I work to live. I don’t live to work.
It’s ok to take breaks and go outside for no reason other than to enjoy yourself. You don’t need a reason to go outdoors.
Separate Yourself From Technology
This morning I checked my email before I got out of bed. It’s a bad habit I need to kick but it isn’t easy.
Boredom has always been viewed as something negative in our culture. We are always trying to fill the empty spaces in our day. Playing a quick game on our phone, checking emails too often, reading one more tweet.
We don’t allow ourselves to be bored.
Loren Frank, a professor of physiology, said downtime lets the brain go over experiences, “solidify them and turn them into permanent long-term memories.”
The more we stare at a screen and overstimulate our minds the worse off we really are. I don’t know about you, but I want to remember as much as I can in my life.
I have had personal experiences with Alzheimer’s in my family. Every year I hear more and more stories from others who have had similar experiences.
Mental health is constantly pushed aside in our country and it’s time we start helping ourselves.
Start today by taking a 15 minute walk outside.
