If you're the type of person that sits tensed in front of the computer for hours on end, I believe you'll find Break Time useful. It's a simple app that reminds you to periodically get up and take a break from sitting and thinking for long stretches.
You might be wondering how this is different from a timer you could set on your phone or watch. Break Time works with your computer to monitor when you're actually working. This way it won't needlessly prompt you when you're not using the computer at all, watching a movie, or doing a presentation, for example. You'll only be prompted when you've worked for a continuous period.
My motivation for writing Break Time was to maintain, and possibly even improve, my level of happiness and productivity throughout the workday. There's certainly many, many techniques and substances that can help. I've personally found naps, exercise, meditation and caffeine the most useful - some of which are less appropriate at work. ;)
Another suggestion that comes up frequently is simply getting away from your computer from time to time (not just your body, but mind). But doing this consistently is much harder than it sounds. I've found that even when I do remember and think to myself: "okay I should probably get up and take a break now"; my mind often convinces me to "finish this last, short task first". The task often ends up taking longer than expected, or I then forget about the break for a while longer. By the time I remember again my stress level has increased and things go downhill. This seems to have a cummulative effect throughout the day which gets harder to recover from. As they day grows older my stress-level and productivity swap places, and drift further apart.
So I figured I needed an app to help out. A simple timer wouldn't do since it doesn't know when I'm at the computer and whether I'm actually working (say, as opposed to watching a movie). I wanted the app to remind me to take a break only when I've been working continously at my computer for some time.
What does Break Time do that makes it work better than a simple timer? By providing the following features:
- A configurable work period (or break interval). I've personally found 45 minutes to work well.
- Detect when I've worked continuously for this period, and only then prompt me.
- The ability to postpone a break by a few minutes, but still keeping track of how long its been since my last break so I don't go off the rails postponing over and over again.
- Detect when I'm not at the computer so I don't get prompted right when I return, for example.
- Detect when I'm watching a movie or doing a presentation and not prompt me during this time.
- Tell me when my next break is due.
Sitting for prolonged hours is considered a health risk, according several studies. Some suggest that you should stand rather than sit in front of your computer. I think this is likely better than sitting all day but it still doesn't address the mental side of things.
- Too Much Screen Time Takes Toll on Heart
- Study Links More Time Spent Sitting to Higher Risk of Death
- Sitting Time and All-Cause Mortality Risk in 222 497 Australian Adults
- Dr. Google
I've noticed that regularly taking my mind off work keeps my stress level lower throughout the day. Even better to turn the analytical/logical/language parts of the brain off. This has at least two major benefits:
- It gives your massively powerful creative brain a chance at what you've been focused on. Trust me, you'll want to harness this power as much as possible.
- You get a break from actively thinking (and likely stressing) about the problem at hand, and likely many completely unrelated issues that like to pop into your awareness.
Maybe you think taking regular breaks is counter to flow? Well, just give it a try and see how it works out for you. There's always the option to postpone the break but just don't do this too often. How do you know what's too often? Observing how stressed you feel is a good guide. But to be honest, it's not simply about taking breaks. You also need to be mindful of trying to reduce your stress during the break. For example, taking your mind off work but worrying about a personal problem defeats the purpose.
The bottom line is that you need to work in a sustainable manner. And hey, maybe even be happy while working. How can this not benefit your physical and mental health? I hope Break Time can help.