Does your work break refresh you when you look at your phone? Think Again
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Glad you’re reading my second newsletter, Work Notes, where I write about what catches my attention in leadership and behavior change at work.
This time’s topic: using your phone during breaks. Turns out, it’s not such a good idea.
A student with a solution
Recently, I was at the department’s front desk at the university when a student walked in. He asked the staff member behind the desk to hand over his phone. The staff member gave it to him, and the student walked away.
Apparently, the student had come up with a new way to study. His phone kept distracting him, so he handed it over while studying. During the break, he picked it up again.
Clever, you might think.
But there’s one problem.
Looking at your phone keeps your brain active
Research shows that looking at your phone during a break doesn’t help you relax. Your brain stays active.
The student thinks he’s taking a break, but his brain isn’t resting.
And we do the same thing: when we’re tired or taking a break, we often look at our phones.
If you look at your phone during a break, you’re actually not taking a break.
If you look at your phone during a break, you’re actually not taking a break.
According to attention expert Prof. Stefan van der Stigchel, it’s much better to do something during your break that doesn’t demand your attention.
For example: go for a short walk, unload the dishwasher (your housemates will thank you), or simply look out the window.
We might know this is good for us, but why do we do it so rarely? Because looking at your phone is more fun. It’s more enjoyable than being bored or alone with your thoughts. But your brain doesn’t relax from it.
What will you do?
Next time you take a break, you have two options: grab your phone or look out the window.
The first feels better, but the second gives your brain rest.
Best, Lars
This piece appeared in the newsletter Work Notes. You can subscribe for free.
