WEBVTT - The New Corner Office: Plan your breaks

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<v Speaker 1>Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office,

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<v Speaker 1>the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the

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<v Speaker 1>new world of work, where location and hours are more

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<v Speaker 1>flexible than in the past. Today's tip is to plan

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<v Speaker 1>your brakes. When you're working remotely or even just working flexibly,

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<v Speaker 1>you have more autonomy over your hours. You can set

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<v Speaker 1>a schedule that maximizes your productivity and your enjoyment of

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<v Speaker 1>work in life. A big part of that is figuring

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<v Speaker 1>out optimal times for brakes. Now, if you're thinking to yourself,

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<v Speaker 1>I don't take breaks, or even if you're thinking I

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<v Speaker 1>don't need breaks, well think again. Traditional offices are distracting places.

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<v Speaker 1>Breaks happened there, whether we seek them out or not,

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<v Speaker 1>and brakes aren't a bad thing. We can all recall

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<v Speaker 1>being completely stumped by something. Talk to a colleague about

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<v Speaker 1>the weather, drive home, go for a run, or cook dinner,

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<v Speaker 1>and boom, there's the solution. Once we ease up the

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<v Speaker 1>pressure to solve the problem, it seems to solve itself.

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<v Speaker 1>Breaks can do that. When you're working from home. It

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<v Speaker 1>pays to be intentional about building in breaks, since casual

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<v Speaker 1>interactions in your workplace won't create the breaks for you.

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<v Speaker 1>Many people like to have a rough template to follow

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<v Speaker 1>most days so that they don't have to plan their

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<v Speaker 1>days from scratch. Over the years, I've noticed that some

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<v Speaker 1>schedules work better for optimizing energy than others. As you

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<v Speaker 1>think about your time, aim to work in two to

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<v Speaker 1>three hour chunks punctuated by fifteen to twenty minute breaks,

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<v Speaker 1>with one slightly longer break for lunch or a workout.

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<v Speaker 1>So for example, maybe you start your day around eight

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<v Speaker 1>thirty am, take a ten thirty coffee break to face

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<v Speaker 1>time with a friend, work until twelve forty five when

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<v Speaker 1>you get ready, and then go for a thirty minute run,

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<v Speaker 1>then take a three thirty break for a hearty snack.

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<v Speaker 1>Or maybe you like to get up early and seize

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<v Speaker 1>the day. You work from sixty am, break deat breakfast

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<v Speaker 1>with the college students who are now home with you,

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<v Speaker 1>work until one and then eat lunch with them, and

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<v Speaker 1>break around four pm to walk the dog. Whatever your

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<v Speaker 1>specific template, aim to make at least one break physical

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<v Speaker 1>and one break social. Both exercising and socializing boost energy.

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<v Speaker 1>If the weather is nice, it's good to get outside

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<v Speaker 1>to chat with a friend by phone as you walk

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<v Speaker 1>around the block or do a yoga video with a

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<v Speaker 1>family member. All of these are great ideas. But here's

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<v Speaker 1>what's not a great idea. Thinking you don't need breaks,

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<v Speaker 1>and then finding yourself around three pm reading the same

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<v Speaker 1>email five times in a row. Then you get an

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<v Speaker 1>alert on your phone letting you know that a friend

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<v Speaker 1>posted a photo on Facebook. You go check it out,

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<v Speaker 1>read other posts, and wow, is it time for my

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<v Speaker 1>four pm call? Already? When you don't take real breaks,

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<v Speaker 1>your brain takes fake breaks, ones that consume time but

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<v Speaker 1>aren't actually energizing. Better to enjoy the real deal. Of course,

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<v Speaker 1>some people who work from home like to use brakes

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<v Speaker 1>as opportunities to tackle life maintenance tasks. Fifteen minutes here

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<v Speaker 1>and there can't afford you a chance to keep the

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<v Speaker 1>laundry moving, to do some dinner prep, or to weed

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<v Speaker 1>a small flower bed. As long as you're getting some

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<v Speaker 1>activity and maybe some sunshine, these can be okay. Just

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<v Speaker 1>make sure that these tasks stay within specific time limits.

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<v Speaker 1>As with email and web surfing, housework can expand to

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<v Speaker 1>fill all available space, and if it feels too much

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<v Speaker 1>like drudgery, well then you won't feel rejuvenated, which is

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<v Speaker 1>the point of a break. What's your approach to breaks?

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<v Speaker 1>Have you tried anything memorable lately? I'd love to hear

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<v Speaker 1>about it. You can reach me at Laura at Laura

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<v Speaker 1>Vanderkam dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks

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<v Speaker 1>for listening, and here's to succeeding in the New Corner Office.

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<v Speaker 1>The New Corner Office is a production of I Heart Radio.

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<v Speaker 1>For more podcasts, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

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<v Speaker 1>or wherever you get your favorite shows.