Productivity is a matter of optimizing your energy, not just your time. And taking regular breaks—even short ones—is an essential way to sustain your capacity to get things done. These strategies can help you be more disciplined about making breaks a habit.
Block time for communication. It can be tempting to use the spare minutes between meetings to quickly respond to emails or DMs. Instead, try blocking out specific times to respond to messages—and use those spare minutes to take a pause.
Trim meetings down. Meeting durations tend to be either 30 or 60 minutes. Instead, shift your default to either 15 or 45 minutes. Then use the remaining time before your next meeting to get up from your desk, stretch, or grab a snack.
Enforce hard stops. When you state up front that you have to leave at the end of the booked time period, you set a clear expectation and protect your free time.
Schedule breaks—and set reminders. Block short breaks on your calendar when you know your energy is at its lowest. Having a reminder pop up on your computer or phone can help you hold yourself accountable.
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