How to Take a Microbreak That Actually Helps Your Brain

You’ve been staring at your screen for hours, bouncing between tabs and half-written emails, when you realize you haven’t actually absorbed anything for the past 15 minutes. That’s your brain’s way of saying: please, just give me a minute.

Enter: the microbreak.

“We’re not designed to focus nonstop for hours,” says Danielle Kaplan, PsyD, a neuropsychologist with the Behavioral Health Network at Hartford HealthCare. “When you focus for too long without a break, your brain becomes fatigued. This makes it harder to concentrate, process information and make decisions.”

Here’s how to make that minute count — and why the right kind of microbreak can boost your focus, mood, and productivity. >>Read more