Refuel and Refocus!

One of the hardest things I find to do is take a break!

I don't know if there's anyone else out there who feels guilty when they're not being "productive".... I absolutely hate the thought of being lazy.... however one thing I'm trying to learn is that taking a break IS productive. It gives our brain a chance to rest - we're not actually wired to concentrate for 8 hours straight!

When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is check my phone. Has a client responded with some positive feedback? Do I have more instagram followers than yesterday? Do I have any early morning meetings that I’ve forgotten about? Is there an email I can respond to at 6am… From the onset of my day my mind is go go go!

Technology can be a blessing or a curse depending on how you use it. Whilst looking for ways to manage my time better I stumbled across “The Pomodoro Technique”. The Pomodoro Technique is a popular time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks of 5 minutes (this is one Pomodoro). Having repeated the Pomodoro four times you can then take a longer break! Personally I’ve found this technique really useful in managing my time, not getting distracted and ensuring I take a few short breaks between work.

Whatever your field of work I think we all get mental blocks. As a designer taking a break can spark creative ideas and help you refocus. So if you're anything like me and constantly "busy" why not take just 15 minutes out, put the kettle on and get some creative fuel!