Our brains need rest. Effort depletes energy that then needs to be restored. If you don’t take time to rest, the quality of your work will suffer and you will be more inclined to procrastinate.

Short breaks can help us rest and recuperate between tasks.

Schedule Rest

Time away from work is vital for productivity. Trying to work all day every day leads to demotivation, burnout and poor health. Scheduling time for rest throughout your day can help reduce the need to procrastinate and ensure that you spend those breaks on more restful and helpful activities than procrastination.

Recreation

It’s also important to spend time doing things you enjoy. An appropriate amount of deliberate leisure time is not procrastination; it is healthy and can improve your long-term productivity by renewing your energy. Aim for activities that you enjoy but differ from the tasks you do when working or studying. If your day-to-day involves significant physical effort, don’t come home and work out. Try the opposite, like reading or doing something creative. If your work involves reading and writing, try resting with an activity that involves movement. There are a million types of recreation. Try testing a few out and monitor how they affect your productivity and make you feel. When choosing a form of recreation, it can help to figure out what is missing from your usual day and focus on filling the gaps. Things commonly missing from work include:

• creativity;
• mental stimulation;
• movement;
• autonomy;
• alone time;
• feelings of competence;
• social contact; and
• helping others.

Clean Break

It’s important to properly unhook from work when you rest. Don’t use or look at work phones or emails if possible. If you are pulled into thinking about work, you are not having an effective break. It can help to:

• take days off;
• schedule in relaxation; and
• schedule in fun.