Lunch Breaks For Productivity

Do you feel guilty about taking time off? I used to spend weekends, trips, and lunch breaks (!!) terrified that I was falling behind. I had to constantly fight the compulsion to get back to my inbox. Now I remind myself: Your mental health is the foundation for your ability to do great work. We often think of vacations or breaks as rewards we need to earn. This is backward thinking. Your wellbeing is what allows you to achieve your goals. A successful career depends on you having rested enough to be creative, show up for others, and make good decisions. It sounds obvious but it bears repeating: When you fail to take the time you need to recharge, you set yourself up to fail.

You’re not burned out—you’re just taking breaks the wrong way. Here’s how to fix it, based on science. Want to perform better? Take better breaks. Breaks today are where sleep was 15 years ago—underrated and misunderstood. But how you take a break matters. Most people think more work = more productivity. But research shows that strategic breaks are the real key to staying sharp. The problem? Most of us take breaks that don’t actually help. Scrolling alone at your desk? Not it. Here’s how to take a break that actually works: Move, don’t sit – Walk, stretch, or get outside instead of staying glued to your chair. Movement resets your brain. Go outside, not inside – Fresh air and sunlight restore energy and boost creativity. Be social, not solo – Breaks are more effective when taken with someone else. Fully unplug – Leave your phone. No work talk. No emails. No scrolling. Just a real reset. Try this: Take a 10-minute walk outside with a colleague. Talk about anything but work. Leave your phone at your desk. Watch how much better you feel—and perform. Breaks aren’t a luxury. They’re a performance tool. Treat them like it. Got a break routine that works for you? Drop it below Or send this to someone who needs a real break.

All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking. — Friedrich Nietzsche 💡 Many people claim they do their best thinking when walking. Steve Jobs, famously known for his walking meetings, believed walking stimulated creativity and facilitated more open and creative conversations. 📈 Four different experiments from a Stanford study demonstrated that walking boosts creative ideation in real time and shortly after. The experiments included Sitting inside Walking outside Waking on a treadmill inside Being rolled outside in a wheelchair The result: walking opens up the free flow of ideas, enhancing creativity and divergent thinking. Walking strongly influenced the expression of what the researchers call “associative memory”. Associative memory is a fundamental aspect of our human memory that allows us to remember and connect different pieces of information. When walking, we present more ideas, and the ideas access our unique associative network, which leads to an increase in novelty. Plus, when we sit down after walking, the researchers found that we continue to be more creative even though we are no longer walking. 🌳 When working from home, I love taking quick, 15-minute walks at midday with no tech and focusing on my breath. 🤝 Same goes when working from the office; I love going out with colleagues to a place where we have to walk a bit. When I return, I feel much more energized and ready to start the afternoon. Illustration by me 😊 Extract from a research article from APA. Link to the complete source in the first comment 👇 #walking #creativity #personaldevelopment

As the holiday season ramps up, a lot of people start thinking about rest. Not the quick long-weekend kind, but the kind that creates real clarity. More and more professionals are choosing intentional sabbaticals because they want space to think, reset, and return with direction. The surprising part is how accessible this is when you understand how to structure it. In my latest newsletter, I break down how to design a period of time away that creates momentum instead of disruption. This includes how to use structure without overplanning, how to create open space without losing focus, and how to set expectations that protect your time and energy. One insight that often surprises people: The hardest part of a sabbatical is not stepping back from work. It is stepping back from your own expectations of constant productivity. The newsletter also explores the difference between choosing a sabbatical and being pushed into one. The experience shifts dramatically when you plan for the return and not just the pause. If you have been craving a reset, this perspective can help you think about a sabbatical as a strategic tool rather than a luxury that is out of reach.

Nobody looks back wishing they answered more emails. They regret the moments they didn’t fully live. The average professional spends 11+ hours a day on screens. That constant input doesn’t just drain attention, it drains life. Here are 5 simple ways to reclaim your focus: 1/ Morning buffer zone Your first 30 minutes set the tone for everything. → Leave your phone outside the bedroom overnight → Finish your routine before checking notifications → Start with direction instead of distraction 2/ Scheduled tech breaks Stepping away sharpens performance. → Block 3–4 daily 15-minute device-free slots → Protect them as “focus sessions” on your calendar → Use them for reflection, not reaction 3/ Outdoor reset breaks Movement restores mental clarity. → Take a 10-minute phone-free walk daily → Let ideas come naturally instead of forcing them → Return with energy instead of fatigue 4/ Device-free lunches Let your break actually feel like a break. → Keep your phone tucked away while eating → Use the time to connect with people or just breathe → Notice how your afternoon feels lighter 5/ Evening transition End your day before your devices decide for you. → Set a firm cutoff for work-related tech → Physically close or store your laptop/phone → Give your brain space to reset for tomorrow The research is clear: Intentional breaks from technology strengthen productivity, creativity, and mental health. You don’t need to quit screens - you just need to manage them. Which one of these will you try first?

New research shows a hidden leadership bias: Managers say unplugging boosts performance - but still penalize people who do it. When I led hybrid and distributed teams while working remotely for The Clorox Company, I encouraged my team to unplug -  especially during vacations or holiday weekends. And I meant it. I did unplug during vacation. But after-hours during the workweek? That was harder. I was 3,000 miles and 3 time zones away from HQ. As remote work experiment for Clorox from 2010-2018, I felt pressure to always be online. Hyper-available. Ultra-responsive. Because I believed I had to prove I was just as committed as when I was in the HQ building. 💡That pressure has a name: 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗶𝘀𝗺. According to research from Qatalog and GitLab, workers spend 67 extra minutes online each day to appear present - not to get more done. That means that across 8 years, I may have spent 2,200 hours proving I was “on.” Now, new research covered by Axios confirms that employees’ careers can actually be negatively impacted if they are unplugging. 👉 It is called the 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘅. Professors Eva Buechel & Elisa Solinas reviewed 16 studies with 7,800 participants to explore this question: 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘯-𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥? 🤔 Managers reported that employees who unplugged would be more productive upon their return, but then rated them as less committed and less promotable than their more plugged-in colleagues. This bias showed up even when: – Performance was higher – The reason for unplugging was caregiving – The manager said they supported work-life balance It’s a contradiction that breeds burnout and hurts high performers. So, what can we do? 🔄 Redefine commitment. Stop equating responsiveness with dedication. 🔌 Give proactive permission - and back it with structure: 1️⃣ Help your team prioritize so time off isn’t followed by a tidal wave of work. 2️⃣ Set expectations around offline hours - and honor them. This means understanding what time zones your team members are located in. 3️⃣ Model it. People follow what you do, not just what you say. 🧠 Examine your own biases during performance reviews and calibrations for: – the Detachment Paradox – Distance Bias Do you feel pressure to prove you’re working after-hours, or worry your team does? 🗞️ News coverage in Axios: https://lnkd.in/emQvCQ-A 🔍 Research by Eva Buechel & Elisa Solinas published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes and in Harvard Business Review

My client just called me saying he finds it hard to switch off from work. This is what I explained: Most of us try to slam the brakes at the end of the day. 100 → 0 in five seconds. Imagine if a car did that... Screeching tires. Abrupt impact. Not fun. Not sustainable. So I asked him: “What does switching off actually mean to you?” Is it so you can be fully present with your kids? So you can cook dinner without replaying the last meeting? So you can read, think, or just breathe without distraction? Switching off isn’t about shutting your brain down. It’s about creating a soft landing - giving your mind a gentle transition so you can be fully present in the next thing that matters. Here’s a simple approach I often share with clients: • Write down tomorrow’s first task - so your brain doesn’t carry it. • Close a small loop - wrap up one tiny thing to signal an ending. • Step away from your workspace - stretch, make a cup of tea, or take a short walk. A ritual that signals, “the workday is done.” (I sometimes say this out loud to myself!!) The difference this mindset makes is subtle but profound. Even a small soft landing: • Makes evenings feel calmer • Improves sleep • Helps mornings start sharper • Preserves energy for real focus, creativity, and decisions So try this today! Never underestimate the power of small actions or rituals. How are you going to experience a soft landing today?

Mental health breaks are not “time off” from work; they are a functional part of the creative and athletic process. They prevent burnout, restore cognitive resources, and allow the brain to process information in the background. Creativity requires “divergent thinking,” which often happens when the mind is not actively focusing on a task: • The Incubation Effect: Stepping away allows the subconscious to work on creative blocks. • Neuroplasticity: Breaks reduce “decision fatigue,” keeping your aesthetic choices sharp. • Dopamine Reset: Constant creation can dull the reward system; breaks restore the “spark” of inspiration. • Perspective Shift: Physical distance from a canvas or screen helps you see technical errors you previously missed

The Power of Tech Walks. Trading conference rooms for fresh air: Why tech walks are revitalizing professional networking. The best conversations don’t happen in stuffy meeting rooms or a loud mixer—they happen while walking. Across the country, a movement is growing that’s transforming how tech professionals connect, collaborate, and build relationships. Why walking works: Movement reduces the pressure of face-to-face networking, making conversations more natural and authentic. You’re side-by-side, not across a table. The setting becomes collaborative, not transactional. Plus, it’s healthier than another happy hour. Want to join a Tech Walk? Here’s 4 awesome community organizations to plug into. 🌊 WeAreLATech ’s LA Tech Walks (latechwalks.com) Bringing together the Los Angeles tech community through neighborhood tech walks and adventrous activities. Where the waves meet the web, and authentic connections happen beyond the bandwidth. 🌳 TechWalk (techwalk.co) Weekly networking walks in NYC and expanding west across Calfornia, featuring curated guest speakers from the tech and SaaS industries. 🚶♀️ WLTH WLKS (wlthwlks.com) A global community redefining networking for female entrepreneurs. Combining wellness with meaningful business connections through walking meetups across Australia and the US. 🤝 JFE Network (jfenetwork.com) Building a thriving ecosystem of over 20,000+ Israeli and Jewish founders, investors, and technologists across San Francisco, NYC, LA, Boston, and Boulder through events and community programming. Real relationships. Career opportunities. Co-founder connections. Business partnerships. Meeting your investor… And a whole lot more steps on your ŌURA ring. If you’re looking to expand your network, or simply need a reboot from staring at the computer screen all day - lace up your sneaks instead of another zoom meeting. Your body will thank you. Have you been on a Tech Walk or something similar in your industry? How was it? :) #TechWalks #Networking #TechCommunity #StartupLife #ProfessionalDevelopment #Wellness #CommunityBuilding

A Stanford University Researcher's Guide to Creativity: Science says your next great idea is not going to happen at your desk. And while your whiteboard may be great for organizing ideas, but it's terrible for finding them. Across four experiments with 176 participants, Stanford researchers compared sitting with walking on ‘creative’ tasks. The results: - Walkers generated 60% more “novel ideas” on average - In one experiment, 100% of participants got more creative while walking (!) - The boost held on a treadmill facing a blank wall AND when they compared walkers to people pushed through the same outdoor environments in a wheelchair (so it wasn’t just fresh air or the outdoor scenery) The walking itself appears to be the key. One thing worth knowing: walking helps you GENERATE ideas. It may slightly hurt your ability to converge on the right answer, as Stanford’s testing showed. Walk when the question is open. Sit when you’re in decision mode. More good news: the creativity boost lingers after you sit back down. You don't have to think on your feet. You have to walk before you think. Two things to try this week: - Move your next 1:1 to a 15 minute walking meeting. This works over the phone, too. - Walk BEFORE your hardest creative work, not during it. Take 10 before a strategy session to go for a quick loop. All you need for a meaningful performance upgrade is a pair of shoes and 15 minutes. No excuses.