Productivity

How taking breaks and prioritising self-care can actually improve your productivity.

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2mins 30 sec
Ben Willmott
Founder

Often when you hear about habits and productivity, it’s about working hard, how much you create, staying focused etc…What’s not always talked about as much is self-care. Making sure the focus is on you, may sound selfish to some, but the more you work on yourself, the better your relationships will be, your productivity increase and many other aspects of your life can improve.

Often when you hear about habits and productivity, it’s about working hard, how much you create, staying focused etc…

What’s not always talk about as much is self-care. 

Making sure the focus is on you, may sound selfish to some, but the more you work on yourself, the better your relationships will be, your productivity increases and many other aspects of your life can improve.

Self-care is a vital component of maintaining our overall well-being, but it's often the first thing to go when we're feeling overwhelmed or busy.

We may think that by sacrificing our self-care, we can be more productive and get more done. However, the opposite is actually true. Prioritising self-care and taking breaks can actually improve our productivity in the long run.

The problem is, we often think we don’t have time, or it’s not important right now.

One of the main reasons why self-care is important for productivity is because it helps us recharge our batteries. When we're feeling burnt out or exhausted, it's challenging to concentrate and be productive. By taking breaks and engaging in self-care activities, we can refresh our minds and bodies, allowing us to return to work with renewed energy and focus.

This might be 5-minutes of a breathing exercise, taking a walk, meditation, stretching, anything that gives your mind a rest.

Self-care can also help prevent burnout, which can have serious consequences for both our personal and professional lives. Burnout can lead to decreased productivity, poor performance, and even physical and mental health issues. By prioritising self-care and taking breaks, we can prevent burnout and keep our productivity levels up.

There are many different ways to practice self-care, and it's important to find what works best for you. 

This might be 5-minutes of a breathing exercise, taking a walk, meditation, stretching, anything that gives your mind a rest.

Only engaging in self care when you need it, it’s ideal, you need to make time for it on a consistent basis, and make it part of your routine.

Incorporating self-care into your routine can also help improve your work-life balance. By making time for self-care, you can feel more fulfilled and satisfied both at work and at home. This can lead to increased productivity and overall well-being.

One aspect of self-care is learning how to say no and setting boundaries for yourself. This can help prevent overcommitment and burnout. By setting limits on your time and energy, you can ensure that you have sufficient resources to take care of yourself and be productive.

Self care at work is tough, but it could be something as simple as taking a walk around the office for 5-mins, stopping to make a cup of tea, then sitting somewhere 

So next time you're feeling overwhelmed or burnt out, don't hesitate to take a break and prioritise your self-care. It may seem counterintuitive, but taking care of yourself can actually help you be more productive in the long run.

Ben Willmott
Founder
Ben is Delivery Director at the London based creative agency Wunderman Thompson where he creates bespoke ways or working for his clients and teams. Ben is also the founder of The PPM Academy specializing in coaching Project Management, Agile Delivery and how to be more productive at home and work.

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