5 Very Good Reasons To Take A Break At Work Today

This story is part of our monthlong “Work Well” initiative, which focuses on thriving in the workplace. You can find more stories from this project here. Only one in five U.S. workers takes a lunch break, according to recent research. And when the American workweek can easily span more than 55 hours, which puts people at a higher risk of stroke and heart disease, that's a sobering thought.  As you might imagine, there are VERY good reasons to take a break at work, and your physical health is just one of them. Need convincing? Consider this: 1. It makes you more productive than staying at your desk. A 2014 survey of employee computer usage found that the highest 10 percent of workplace performers were those who took 17 minutes' worth of breaks for every 52 minutes of work. That's probably because brief breaks vastly improve focus on long tasks. Concentration works like a muscle: Relax it after a sprint, and you'll find an increased capacity to focus.  2. It's likely to bring out your most creative ideas.  Practices like meditation, doodling or walking can streamline brain activity and get you into a "state of flow," in which ideas bubble freely to the surface. A quick conversation with a friend or watching an online video may also be the jumpstart you need to problem-solve in new ways. 3. You'll be physically healthier. As we mentioned above, workers who logged 55 hours per week or more had a 33 percent greater ri...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news