Axios Finish Line: The outsize power of tiny breaks

This article originally appeared in Axios Finish Line, our nightly newsletter on life, leadership and wellness. Sign up here.

Even just 10 minutes to ourselves to recharge and relax can change the day.

• Why it matters: We underestimate the effect of small and intentional breaks on our well-being.

What's happening: When we've been working at something for a while, our minds start to wander. That's when a well-timed and well-planned break can get us back on track — and actually boost productivity.

• In one study, researchers at the University of Illinois asked participants to perform a 50-minute task on computers.
• One group had to work without stopping, and another group got two short breaks. Sure enough, the group that worked nonstop saw performance decline by the end, while the group that paused did not.

Here are the top tips for planning breaks, based on research:

1. Make sure it's a real break. The most effective breaks are unrelated to work, per a recent analysis published in the journal PLOS ONE. That means pausing work to catch up on a few emails doesn't have the same benefit as stopping to take a short walk and get some air.

2. Time yourself. Microbreaks — lasting 10 minutes at most — work best when it comes to refocusing yourself on the task at hand. Go much longer and you'll lose momentum.

• Bigger breaks — 15 or 20 minutes — are also important to fully refresh after a longer work session or between larger tasks.

3. Pay better attention. Short breaks are especially helpful when you're doing something repetitive or tedious, researchers have found. Creative work doesn't benefit as much from pauses.

The bottom line: Use breaks to boost your mental and physical health no matter what you're doing.

• And if you're a manager, encourage your employees to take smart breaks! In the long run, they'll be more engaged and more creative.