Did you know that the maximum amount of time a person can focus intently on a task is 90 minutes? Any longer and your productivity starts to spiral downhill, your mind wanders and you lose your edge.
So then you start working on things that are easy to do, but not very important in the overall scheme of things.
It’s time to get up and move. Go get some coffee. Take a walk outside. Have a chat with a colleague. Call a friend on the phone. Do some stretching. And, if you work at home, consider doing the laundry or something else that’s totally mindless.
Make sure you take 15-20 minutes off too. I know if feels like you’re wasting time and being non-productive. But the truth is, your body and mind need that break time to refresh themselves. When you get back to your desk, you’ll be mentally raring to go again.
Personally, I use this process whenever I have an office day scheduled. And, to make myself even more productive, I plan out my 90 minute sessions the night before. That way, when I get to the office, I can focus on my most important To Do first. The best thing about working this way is that I’m always accomplishing what matters.
So give yourself a break. It’ll be will worth your time.
