Productivity
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How to Be More Productive Using Break Strategies

Published on
July 28, 2024

In my senior year, while getting a Bachelor's in Human Development and Arts & Letters, I decided to attend full-time NCCER-certified welding courses at a second college. 

As you might imagine, attending two full-time programs at two separate colleges required rigorous time management. I was lucky enough to have the support of family and friends while I learned what productivity strategies were and how to take the most effective breaks, and I successfully graduated from both programs.  

In this article, I’m going to outline a few effective break strategies and time management techniques we’ve found useful in developing and taking effective breaks throughout the workday, whether you work in an office or at home. 

Utilizing Break Strategies: The 52-17 Method, 90-Minute Work Block, Pomodoros, and More for Enhanced Productivity

Time Boxing

Time Boxing is described by Forbes as “a term born as part of the agile methodology toolkit, to create a visual to-do list on your calendar.” It’s designed to help you frontload the effort of scheduling and allow you to relax into a productive flow state. 


It can look overwhelming at first, but the Time Boxing method can become an invaluable tool in keeping track of all your tasks if you’re a visual thinker/planner. Lucidchart has a great description and starting guide for anyone interested in the method. 

The 52-17 Ratio

This method emerged from an insightful analysis by Muse employees. They examined data gathered by the time management app DeskTime, scrutinizing the habits of employees in the top 10% of productivity to find any consistent habits. They found that the common thread in these workers was their habit of taking a seventeen-minute break for every 52 minutes of work.

 “The reason the most productive 10% of our users are able to get the most done during the comparatively short periods of working time is that their working times are treated as sprints. They make the most of those 52 minutes by working with intense purpose, but then rest up to be ready for the next burst. In other words, they work with purpose.” (Muse 2020)

The Pomodoro Technique

Pomodoros are a minimalist time-management strategy and require only a kitchen timer and a set task. The technique focuses on creating a structure for your workflow, removing distractions, and letting go of everything but the one task you’ve set for the 25-minute work block.  

Techtarget’s article defining the Pomodoro Technique is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to learn more about the different uses of this technique. 

The 90-minute workblock

The 90 minute work block is similar to the 52-17 method and Pomodoro technique in that it advises a set amount of time to focus exclusively on your work but differs in that it focuses more on the ultradian rhythm (You can learn more about that here). 

In his article for the Harvard Business Review, Tony Schwartz swears by ending each workday by deciding on a high-priority task and starting the next day with a 90-minute work block prioritizing only that task.

“I launched this practice because I long ago discovered that my energy, my will, and my capacity for intense focus diminish as the day wears on.” (Schwartz 2020)

There are a number of articles on how to use these timer-based focus assists. Here are a few great guidelines for anyone interested in adding one to their workday:

How to use break strategies to boost productivity 

Productivity tools like the ones mentioned above will give you a structure to help you focus and a firm reminder to stop and rest when you need it, but what about ways to take full advantage of those break times? It depends on how often you take breaks and how long those breaks are. 

Each individual has their own work style and needs, so it’s hard to pinpoint the best productivity strategy for a universal break. These articles go into more detail on how you can get the most out of your breaks:

What are the best productivity strategies for breaks?

There’s so much advice floating around claiming to be the solution to your work fatigue that it can be hard to sort through. Here are a few tips:

Compartmentalization

Regardless of the pastime you find most enjoyable and effective in your breaks, the best strategy we can give you for developing breaks to increase your productivity is to learn compartmentalization and develop a hybrid strategy that uses Time Boxing and scheduled work to support it. Pomodoro, the 57-17 method, and the 90-minute work block are all extremely useful tools, but their efficacy goes through the roof once you get a handle on compartmentalizing your time, energy, and efforts. 

Micro-Breaks

University of Illinois psychology professor Alejandro Lleras led research on how micro-diversions can positively affect a person's ability to retain focus and memory. In an interview with ScienceDaily he summarized one of their findings:

 “We propose that deactivating and reactivating your goals allows you to stay focused," he said. "From a practical standpoint, our research suggests that, when faced with long tasks (such as studying before a final exam or doing your taxes), it is best to impose brief breaks on yourself. Brief mental breaks will actually help you stay focused on your task!" 

Just doing it at all

It’s been proven time and time again that taking breaks helps with attention span, decision-making, creativity, mood, physical health, and memory. The Time Management Training Institute has a few tips on how you can cultivate a habit of breaks here

Q & A

How can I be productive with breaks?

Finding some short pastimes to help you reset your mind and body are an essential part of utilizing an effective break strategy. Small routines like stretching, making yourself some coffee or tea, or working on a short hobby project are great places to start, but you’re the only one who’ll be able to tell what works best for your environment, work style, and schedule. The University of Carolina’s Learning Center has some great dos and don’ts in their article about taking breaks for anyone unsure about where to start.

What is the most productive work break schedule?

This depends entirely on your personal workstyle, schedule, and ability to task-switch. For example, in my line of work, doing research, I’ll use pomodoros while I’m working on smaller projects to keep myself from spending too much time on them. But, when I’m working on a more complex projects I find myself needing the structure of dedicated off time to avoid burning myself out on a weeks-long project after only a day or two. Starting out with two or three options that could fit your needs and work style will serve you much better than trying to make your needs and work style fit a single strategy. 

How can I start using these strategies? 

The same way you start any habit: by making it easy to do and building rewards into your time management strategy.  

This article on building habits 

Works Cited

Paulise, L. (2022, November 3). 5 steps to start Timeboxing and Improve your Time-Management Skills. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lucianapaulise/2022/11/03/5-steps-to-start-timeboxing-and-improve-your-time-management-skills/?sh=57aa03105ef3

Gifford, J. (2014, July 31). The Rule of 52 and 17: It’s Random, But it Ups Your Productivity. The Muse. https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-rule-of-52-and-17-its-random-but-it-ups-your-productivity

Schwartz, T. (2014, July 23). A 90-Minute Plan for personal effectiveness. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2011/01/the-most-important-practice-i

Brief diversions vastly improve focus, researchers find. (2011, February 11). ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110208131529.htm

Contributors
Katy Martinez
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