Taking Five Minutes Brain Breaks May Boost Productivity, Study Says

Jakarta – Taking a five minutes of brain breaks can boost productivity in subsequent tasks by over 50 percent, a study has said. This was conveyed by the University of Sydney experiment, 72 students undertook a selft-taught lesson and two gruelling mental matchs tests. 

Those who were allowed a five minute break between the tasks averaged 57 percent higher marks - when other ability factors were taken into account - in the second test than those who powered through without stopping.

Some of the 'rested' students took unstructured breaks while others were asked to watch a relaxing nature video, but both groups performed better in the second challenge than their unrested peers.

Associate Professor in Educational Psychology Paul Ginns said the 'substantial' improvements gained by taking an attention-restoring 'brain break' can apply as much in the office environment as they do in the classroom.

"While this study was conducted on university students, I'm pertty confident that these results can be applied to younger people and older people," he stated. 

"Having a rest is not just about cognitive function, it's also about recharging your emotional batteries. This is advice we give to children. It's an easy productivity hack that is accessible to everyone," 

He said the study provided evidence for the effectiveness of the Pomodoro Technique, which advocates a five-minute break after every 25 minutes of concentrated work.