Gaby
Researchers conducted an experiment with 72 students who completed tasks and two exhausting math tests on their own. The results are impressive: five-minute breaks more than doubled efficiency and productivity.
Students who took these short breaks scored an average of 57% higher. Those who worked through without breaks performed worse. It’s important to note that this conclusion takes into account other factors related to ability.
Some students took unstructured breaks, while others spent five minutes stepping away from their tasks to watch nature videos with a relaxing effect. However, both groups outperformed their peers who did not take breaks on the second math test.
Paul Gins, an associate professor of educational psychology, claims that significant improvements are due to what he calls a “brain break.” This brief rest helps restore focus.
Therefore, five-minute breaks should be implemented in both office environments and educational institutions. According to Mr. Gins, even though the study was conducted among university students, we can be confident that similar results would apply to both young people and older adults.
As the study leader noted to the Daily Mail, rest is not just about cognitive functions; it also recharges emotional batteries. These tips are primarily aimed at students.
However, this simple productivity hack is available to everyone. As Mr. Gins points out, this research also provides evidence for the effectiveness of the Pomodoro technique, which involves taking a five-minute break every 25 minutes of focused work.
