The psychologist Gloria Mark knows how we can regenerate ourselves and find our inner rhythm. The following four strategies can help regain our attention:
1. Plan breaks tactically correctly
Time management methods like the Pomodoro Technique are widely used. They are based on a fixed schedule in which a 25-minute work phase is followed by a five-minute break. After four blocks there is a longer break. From a psychological point of view, this time dictate has major disadvantages. On the one hand, the alarm clock can pull us out of phases of deep concentration and bubbling creativity. On the other hand, it says Zeigarnik effectthat we remember interrupted and unfinished tasks better than completed ones. Because we cannot let go of the work we have started, there is no tension relief during the break, and therefore there is no real relaxation.
The situation is different when we take breaks after completing subtasks, for example at the end of a written paragraph or after reading a chapter. The brain then doesn’t have to remember what was last thought during the break, we relax and don’t waste time afterwards wondering where we left off.
2. Refill the memory
Candy Crush or Wordle Play on your smartphone or see what your favorite influencer is up to? Red activities is the English term for such mechanical and mentally undemanding activities. They are fun and therefore help you relax, which is why they are allowed as a snack during breaks. However, only in small quantities: Since the digital seducers hijack our reward system, strict regulations are required. Set the timer for ten minutes or end the fun but trivial pastime at least fifteen minutes before the meeting starts.
3. Air out your head
Microbreaks should be taken several times a day, but a longer break is essential if we want to concentrate on working throughout a working day. A visit to the canteen with nice colleagues is good for us, but only if the focus is not on problems.
According to studies, we particularly regenerate through activities in nature; A walk in the city park reduces stress and promotes health. The perception of green activates the resting state network in our brain, which is responsible for daydreaming, self-reflection and creative processes. If we are stuck in a task, a walk in nature can clear our mental blocks and generate fresh ideas. The smartphone stays nice in the drawer. That’s where it belongs anyway, because experiments show that the further away it is from us, the less often we reach for it.
4. Five before performance high
Researchers have identified two peaks per day in our mental performance: one in the morning (around 11 a.m.) and one in the afternoon (around 3 p.m.), depending on our chronotype.
If we have the privilege of freely dividing our work, it is worth determining how our curve runs throughout the day. A diary helps with this, in which we write down over a week or two at what time we notice further highs and lows. We ideally place difficult tasks at a peak time, moderately difficult tasks in the average phases and routine work in the low phases and at the end of the working day.
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