The Key to Increased Efficiency and Creativity in the Workplace

Introduction

To be efficient, it is essential to create a structure in your workday that allows your brain to function optimally and to take necessary breaks. You should ensure peace and quiet for effective work, free from distractions from colleagues, customers, unnecessary emails, and phone calls.

An Introduction to the Brain's Modes of Thinking

Our brain operates in two primary modes of thinking: focused and unfocused thinking.

Focused thinking is used when we engage in activities such as problem-solving, checking emails, and other tasks that require concentration. This type of thinking requires peace, time, and the opportunity for immersion. Research suggests that our concentration lasts between 20-25 minutes or up to 45 minutes before we need a break, depending on our mental state. Factors such as sleep quality, diet, blood sugar levels, and stress significantly affect our ability to concentrate. For example, a poor night's sleep can clearly affect our cognitive functions the following day. Therefore, our ability to focus and concentrate varies daily. Signs that we need a break include procrastination, repeatedly reading the same text, and feeling tired in the head.

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During breaks, the brain shifts to unfocused thinking, where thoughts arise and disappear spontaneously. We experience about 70,000 such thoughts daily. It is under this mode of thinking that perspective and creativity often arise. Many have experienced that creative ideas and solutions to problems spontaneously occur during a bike ride or a walk. This happens because the brain continues to process unfinished tasks and problems in the background. It underscores the importance of completing tasks to avoid mental overload and stress. Personally, I have developed many projects and concepts during bike rides, not because the cycling was aimed at development, but because these ideas and solutions spontaneously arose during the activity. It is also in this mode of thinking that we can achieve a meta-perspective or a 'helicopter view,' which gives us better insight and ability to quickly solve problems that would otherwise be more time-consuming when we are tired and lack concentration and overview.

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The Value of Breaks for Increased Energy

Breaks play a central role in recharging both you and your brain, offering a valuable opportunity to relax. An interesting Danish study examined the benefits of integrating breaks into the workday. In a six-week experiment, the effect of a 20-minute break was examined among employees in an insurance company. These employees were tasked with answering calls and processing cases. This 20-minute break was mandatory, to be held away from screens, and placed during the morning.

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The results of the study support existing research on the benefits of breaks. It turned out that a 20-minute break not only immediately reduced stress levels but also significantly improved mental sharpness. Furthermore, the study showed that a break in the morning had a long-term effect, helping to prevent high stress levels in the afternoon and ensuring a sustained energy supply for the rest of the day.

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What Can the Workplace Do?

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‍For workplaces, there are significant benefits to implementing a strategic approach to breaks, which should be carefully considered. In Denmark, we have a tradition of efficient and organized work practices, but unfortunately, breaks are often seen in a negative light - as something unnecessary and inefficient, with little attention to their positive effects. In some companies, breaks are even subject to registration and categorization as 'legal' or 'non-legal'. This creates a culture of fear, where many avoid breaks due to concern about their leaders' and colleagues' perceptions.

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There are undoubtedly many benefits to breaks, but there are also dilemmas that need to be addressed. The first and most critical step is to change the negative perception of breaks and start seeing them as an opportunity to promote mental, social, and physical health.

Breaks should be made into active and stimulating moments that can enrich both the individual employee and their colleagues. In the long term, this can lead to increased energy, greater job satisfaction, and improved creativity and quality in task resolution.

Here are concrete suggestions for how you and your colleagues can integrate these changes into daily life to achieve increased efficiency, more surplus, and improved job satisfaction:

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Optimization of Work Tasks and Breaks

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Start the day with the most challenging and complex tasks while your mind is fresh. Set your email to automatic reply, indicating when you check emails, and encourage sending SMS for important matters. This reduces the need to constantly check the phone and minimizes interruptions from emails.

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Work in effective intervals of 45 minutes without interruptions from emails or phone calls, which you can handle at the end of the day.

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Take active 15-minute breaks. Your brain needs these breaks to function effectively. Use them for physical activity or practical tasks that release energy and reduce stress. An active break can also be a good opportunity for a conversation with a colleague.

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Meeting Planning. Hold meetings after lunch whenever possible, as many meetings are routine and require less mental sharpness. Limit meetings to a maximum of 45 minutes for focused and effective meeting management. For longer meetings, remember to include breaks.

By integrating this culture of breaks throughout the company, you can support each other in focusing on complex tasks in the morning and avoiding mutual disturbances.

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Additional advice for a beneficial work culture includes:

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• Inserting short thinking breaks between meetings and tasks.
• Allocating time for daily or weekly reflections.
• Taking regular walks, alone or with a conversation partner.
• Continuously seeking inspiration through movies, books, courses, and cultural experiences.
• Developing a capacity for philosophical wonder in everyday life.
• Creating a culture of curiosity within the organization.
• Continuously reflecting on personal development.
• Prioritizing face-to-face dialogue over digital communication.

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To achieve a culture change and break the negative spiral, a collective decision-making basis and firm guidelines that ensure persistence are required. Culture changes in organizations are comparable to turning a supertanker: It requires significant resources and energy, but once the direction is changed, it will take a lot to deviate from the new course.

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Enjoy.