Be More Productive While Working From Home with Proper Breaks and Massages

We’ve probably all had days when we don’t know where to turn and projects, tasks, and deadlines are literally piling up. There are tasks we put off indefinitely and others we never even get around to because we’d simply have to set aside dedicated, uninterrupted time for them—time we feel we just don’t have.

These various challenges in our daily work life not only cause stress but can also prevent us from ever really getting down to work effectively. It’s no longer a secret that proper, truly restorative breaks are a key factor in performance and concentration.

This is even more true when we work from home, where many more distractions lurk, and the line between work and leisure time threatens to blur more and more. Does this sound familiar? If so, today we’d like to share some tips on how to structure your breaks effectively while working from home—and how massages can play a key role in that.

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Top Priority: Taking Breaks While Working from Home

Breaks are inextricably linked to effectiveness and performance. We know this from the world of sports and fitness, where regular breaks can enhance training results and speed up recovery. But we also see this in cultures where power naps during work hours are not only accepted but also encouraged—and we actually all grow up with this concept, since even from our school days we know that breaks are an essential tool for boosting our ability to concentrate.

So what does the perfect break look like, and what should you pay special attention to when taking one?

The Length of Breaks While Working from Home

Even if you’re working from home, the legal break regulations still apply. You should therefore be sure to take a 30-minute break when working six to nine hours. However, sitting in front of a screen for several hours at a time without a break can take a toll on your concentration, creativity, and even your health. You should definitely take advantage of additional relaxation breaks, such as those specified in Section 5 of the Screen Time Regulation. According to this regulation, you can take a 5-minute break for every hour spent in front of a screen. These short breaks, in particular, are highly effective in preventing burnout, stress, and a sharp decline in performance. So don’t wait until you’re exhausted—make sure to take your breaks in a timely manner.

Activities During Recess

During short breaks, you should let your mind wander, give your eyes a rest, and, ideally, step into another room for a while. Looking into the distance or out the window for a few minutes of fresh air can work wonders. Screens are off-limits, so avoid smartphones, TV, or other monitors—your eye muscles need to relax, too.

While shorter breaks have a positive effect on your ability to concentrate and ensure that you don’t end the day feeling drained and with racing thoughts as you head into your free time, longer breaks also help you relax physically.

Especially when working from home, we’re often faced with limitations that result in us barely moving all day. In everyday office life, you often move to a colleague’s desk, go to other floors, maybe even go out for lunch or use the restroom 50 meters away.

Ergonomically designed workstations are also often lacking at home. Over the long term, this takes a toll on both your physical and mental well-being, because when we feel uncomfortable, our concentration and productivity decline.

Recommended Reading: We've put together five expert tips to help you combat desk-related tension.

So what can you do to give your body some relaxation and a change of pace?

To truly relax, it’s important to schedule your downtime and then stick to it. Your mind should be able to completely let go of work-related thoughts; music helps many people unwind. Let in some fresh air and take deep, conscious breaths. Even though it may sound strange, relaxing isn’t always easy for many people these days—and certainly not something that happens at the push of a button.

So forbid yourself from thinking about work, put your smartphone and similar devices aside, and simply be unreachable for a while. Be sure to set aside a little time for physical activity as well. A walk in the fresh air, gazing up at the sky and into the distance, also works wonders here. You can incorporate stretching exercises into this whenever you like.

When talking about relaxation, you can’t avoid the topic of massages. In more and more companies, they’re now part of the employer’s benefits package and count as a corporate perk. An alternative for working from home—but also in the office as a rental unit for employers —would be, among other things, a massage chair for a quick session in between tasks. The positive effects of a massage are wide-ranging. On the one hand, they promote blood circulation and thus oxygen supply. This leads to greater relaxation and improved concentration. Massages reduce stress, allowing you to keep your mind focused on what’s important right now.

Nutrition is another point worth mentioning. Everyone knows the feeling of needing to take a one-hour nap after lunch. This is because heavy, hearty meals that are hard to digest put such a strain on the digestive system that the rest of the body receives a reduced supply of blood and oxygen. So maybe that pizza with a cheese crust isn’t the ideal lunch when working from home after all.

Let’s summarize what the ingredients for a restorative break while working from home might look like:

● Fresh air
● Digital break (no smartphones, no screens)
● Movement, as well as stretching exercises
● A relaxing massage
● Light, easily digestible food
● No work-related topics

Increased Productivity Through Restful Breaks

Numerous studies have long confirmed the positive effects of restorative breaks during work hours, a fact that has also reached employers. Over the past few decades, employers have adapted workplaces and created appropriate programs to foster a productive environment. With the rapid shift to working from home, this aspect of our work life may have fallen by the wayside, which is why we must now take an active role in caring for our own well-being. Not only to be more effective employees, but also to take care of our health. A lack of physical activity and sedentary work take a toll on us not only physically but also mentally, which ultimately affects our concentration and performance. Make taking a short break to relax a daily goal and feel its long-term positive impact on many other areas of your life beyond work.