A Cambridge University researcher has revealed that longer breaks could be the key to boosting productivity
When it comes to studying or concentrating at work, most people recognise it’s often more effective to take breaks than stare at the same project for hours. However, people might not realise just how long their break should be for the best results – and it’s good news for anyone who feels like they’re working too hard.
While one common technique sees people work for around 25 minutes and then take a 5-10 minute break, a Cambridge University researcher has revealed that longer breaks could be more effective.
Dr Olivia Remes shared the advice in a post shared on the University of Cambridge’s Instagram page. In the video, she explained: “The most productive people work for about 52 minutes at a time and then take 17-minute breaks.
“Hello, I’m Dr Olivia Remes, and I’m a mental health researcher at the University of Cambridge. Today I have got tips to increase your productivity and to also bring in work-life balance. One of the tips is to use the 52/17 rule as you are working.
“And this came out of a landmark study, which showed that the most productive people work for about 52 minutes at a time and then take 17-minute breaks. So essentially, working for about an hour, then taking a short break and doing this in cycles.
“This is much better than working for long stretches of time without taking any breaks. What the researchers in the study also found was that the most productive people, during their breaks, they completely disconnected from technology.
“They stepped away from the computer, they didn’t answer emails, they didn’t check their phones. Instead, they completely disconnected and gave themselves a chance to relax and to rest.”
The expert added: “Another strategy is to choose the emotion that you want to focus on. Let’s say that you’ve got a new project that you don’t really feel like starting because it’s hard. Or perhaps you’re feeling aversion towards a particular task.
“Instead of focusing on that negative emotion of aversion, frustration, or perhaps stress, choose to focus on other emotions that you might be feeling at the exact same time. Emotions such as the desire to succeed or to learn something new. Or the desire to expand your horizons, to get good grades.
“The truth is that at any given time, all of us have an inner landscape of rich emotions, and we can choose which emotion from this landscape we want to focus on. Now doing so not only makes it easier to engage with the work, but it makes the work itself more meaningful.
“And finally, if at any point you are struggling and you feel like you need greater support, please don’t hesitate to reach out.”