Running a small business is go, go, go. Your attention is constantly pulled in a million different directions, your focus split, and every moment of your time taken up by one pressing task or another. It’s fun and fast-paced, but it can also be overwhelming. Which is why taking a break is important. But when you’re already tight on time, how can you justify taking time out?
Taking a break doesn’t have to interrupt your day. Microbreaks are a great way to give your brain a bit of respite, without eating into your time. Here’s how they work and why they could benefit you and your business…
Why Microbreaks Work
Brace yourselves, we’re about to talk science!
Let’s start with the basics – what is a microbreak? It’s essentially what it says on the tin. A microbreak is a brief period of rest or low-intensity activity that lasts between thirty seconds and five minutes. That’s it. Nothing major. No hour long meditation sessions or a thirty minute frolic around the block. Instead, microbreaks are brief, strategic, and can have a profound effect on cognitive and physiological functions.
The brain works in cycles of focus and fatigue, known as ultradian rhythms. When you’re engrossed in a task, your brain enters a state of intense concentration. This uses up your brain’s resources – namely glucose and oxygen – leaving them depleted, which leads to decreased efficiency over time. Microbreaks work by giving your brain a little boost, topping up those resources again and reducing the build up of mental fatigue.
When you take a break, you also activate a network in your brain called the Default Mode Network (DMN). This is a snazzy little system associated with creative thinking, problem-solving and memory consolidation. Activating this network allows you to take a step back, regroup and approach tasks with fresh perspective, plenty of ideas, and way more energy. In short, microbreaks are a valuable tool to have in your arsenal during those long working days.
So, we know how microbreaks work, but what benefits do they have when it comes to running your small business?
Boosting Productivity and Work Quality
We all wish we had boundless energy when it comes to running our small business. But in reality, energy dips, attention and focus wane, and the longer we work on something, the more difficult it becomes to stay on task. We’ve all been there. A slide deck that starts with beautifully formatted text, detailed graphs, a little animation here and there, and ends with a cobbled together bullet point list with at least three typos and no punctuation. Unfortunately, that’s just the way our brains are wired. When we reach the end of our brain power resources, productivity suffers and so does work quality. Pushing through might seem like a good idea at the time, but ultimately, it creates more work in the long run.
Microbreaks, however, help sustain attention and focus by giving the brain a quick breather and chance to reset. This alleviates mental exhaustion and means you can tackle tasks with renewed vigour, upping your productivity levels and enhancing work quality. When your brain has had sufficient rest and you can think clearly, errors are reduced, you can make better decisions, and your attention to detail will be much sharper.
Taking regular microbreaks isn’t superficial – it results in tangible, measurable benefits for your small business.
Enhancing Creativity and Problem Solving
As a small business owner, innovation is key. Problems crop up all the time, and you’ll know from experience that finding a solution requires careful thought, the balancing of multiple factors and a healthy dollop of foresight. You can’t do any of that if you’re overwhelmed and overworked by the task at hand. Working on something without taking a break for a prolonged period, as we’ve discussed, drains your resources, making creative thinking difficult and problem-solving complex.
Taking a short break from focused thinking, even for a minute or so, gives your brain a chance to regroup. This allows it to make connections between ideas that perhaps weren’t apparent before, and suddenly that problem that seemed impossible to solve has a solid, logical solutions. Our judgement becomes clouded when our brains are tired. Providing ourselves with that much needed respite in the form of a microbreak allows the fog to clear.
Supporting Mental and Physical Well-Being
Your business is at its best when you’re at your best. Running a small business and all that comes with it can take a toll on your mental and physical well-being, particularly if you’re putting in long hours without a break. Continuous work without pauses can increase stress, impacting your health and making it more challenging to focus on the task at hand.
In situations like this, microbreaks are a much needed moment of relaxation. They give you chance to breathe and destress, promoting a sense of balance and calm. They take the edge off feelings of overwhelm and allow you to step back, reevaluate and come back with renewed vigour when you’re ready. They’re also great for unfurling your spine when you’ve been hunched over your keyboard for one too many hours – an often overlooked benefit of microbreaks but an important one when it comes to your health.
By prioritising microbreaks and incorporating them into your working day at regular intervals, you can maintain your health and energy levels, ensuring you’re able to consistently meet the demands of your small business (without burning out!)
How to Implement Microbreaks
Okay, so all that is great. But how the heck are you supposed to incorporate a load of breaks into your day when you’re already constantly pushed for time? Well, the clue is in the saying. Research suggests that ‘regarding the duration of microbreaks and their impact on well-being and performance, recovery effects could be elicited after a very short time, approximately 27.4 seconds.’
That’s it. Less than thirty seconds to give your brain a boost. Some studies suggest slightly longer – a minute or two – but a microbreak is five minutes maximum. They specifically don’t eat into your day, the beauty of them being that you can incorporate them seamlessly into your working day without sacrificing any significant amount of time. Couple that with the improved productivity and efficiency microbreaks provide, then you’re likely to break even on work produced as it is.
Microbreaks don’t have to be disruptive. It may be as simple as tearing your eyes away from the screen and staring out the window for thirty seconds. Taking two minutes to have a sip of your tea and eat a biscuit. A five minute scroll on social media. As long as the break doesn’t involve focused thinking or directly working on a work-related task, they can take any form you want them to. Even just a quick stretch or a walk to the loo and back will suffice.
Microbreaks are a tool you can use to enhance your working day, not take away from it. Incorporate them into your working day to ensure your business (and your brain!) can continue to run smoothly.
Small Business Support with The Edwards Company
Running a small business is tough, and when you’re already feeling overwhelmed, the odd microbreak here and there might not cut it. Here at The Edwards Company, we provide tailored, expert support for small business owners to help keep things running smoothly. From support with credit control to help managing your content, tackling admin or handling data entry, we step in so you can take a step back.
For more information on how we can support your small business, please do not hesitate to get in touch.