Take Reset Breaks

What is it?

Reset breaks are intentional pauses during your work where you step away from your task to physically and mentally reset. Unlike scrolling through your phone or staying at your desk, these are true breaks—standing up, moving your body, changing your environment, or doing something that genuinely shifts your state.

A reset break isn't about being lazy or procrastinating. It's a deliberate strategy to maintain high performance throughout the day by preventing mental fatigue before it sets in.

How does it work?

Your brain isn't built for marathon focus sessions. After 60-90 minutes of concentrated work, your prefrontal cortex—the part responsible for focus, decision-making, and self-control—starts to tire. Cognitive performance drops, mistakes increase, and tasks take longer.

Reset breaks work by giving your brain a chance to recover. Physical movement increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Changing your environment interrupts the mental grooves you've been stuck in. Even five minutes away from your work allows your default mode network to activate, which helps consolidate learning and can spark creative insights.

The key is the break must be genuinely different from your work. If you've been staring at a screen, scrolling your phone doesn't count as a reset.

Why adopt it?

Sustained energy. Instead of burning out by 2 PM, you maintain consistent energy and focus throughout the entire day.

Higher quality work. Fresh eyes catch mistakes. A reset brain solves problems faster and produces better ideas than a tired one pushing through.

Better health. Regular movement breaks reduce the health risks of prolonged sitting and lower stress hormones like cortisol.

More gets done. Counterintuitively, working 90 minutes with a break produces more output than pushing through for 120 minutes straight. Quality multiplied by time beats exhausted grinding.

How to adopt it (First steps)?

Set a timer system. Use the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes work, 5-minute break) or longer intervals (60-90 minutes with 10-15 minute breaks). Choose based on your work type. The key is making breaks non-negotiable, not something you skip when "in the zone."

Create a break menu. List 5-10 reset activities you can do in 5-15 minutes: walk outside, stretch routine, make tea, water plants, brief meditation, climb stairs, play with a pet. Having options prevents decision fatigue when break time arrives.

Make them truly different. If you've been sitting, stand or move. If you've been on screens, look at distant objects or go outside. If you've been talking, find silence. The reset comes from the contrast.

Track the difference. For one week, note your energy and productivity with and without reset breaks. The evidence of their impact will motivate continued practice.

Challenges and how to overcome them

"I'm in the zone and don't want to stop." Flow states are valuable, but they're rare and don't last all day. If you're truly in flow, finish the thought and then break. Most "flow" is actually hyperfocus that's draining you. The test: if you're tired after, it wasn't sustainable flow.

"I don't have time for breaks." You're already taking breaks—just unintentional ones like checking your phone or zoning out. Reset breaks simply make them effective. Plus, they save time by preventing the 3 PM crash where you accomplish nothing.

"I feel guilty stopping." Reframe breaks as part of the work, not separate from it. Athletes don't feel guilty about recovery days. Your brain is the same—rest is what enables performance.

"I forget to take them." Automate the reminder. Use apps, calendar blocks, or smart watches. Make the break timer someone else's job so you don't have to remember.

Supporting apps/tools

Time Timer – Visual countdown that shows time remaining, helpful for staying aware of break schedules.

Stretchly – Free break reminder app that blocks your screen and suggests stretch exercises.

BreakTimer (Mac) or Workrave (Windows/Linux) – Automatic break reminders based on your schedule preferences.

Focus@Will or Brain.fm – Background sounds optimized for focus sessions, with built-in break timers.

Apple Watch / Fitbit – Stand reminders and activity tracking to ensure you're actually moving during breaks.

Analog option – Kitchen timer or hourglass on your desk as a physical, distraction-free reminder.