The amount of time you lose to distractions at work is much longer than you think. Learn how to refocus, regain lost time, and increase your productivity!
Taking time to de-stress at work; like a short walk, a few minutes of meditation, or even some easy stretches at your desk—is important for staying productive. I’ve noticed that if I sit too long without moving or resting my eyes from the screen, my mind feels completely drained by the end of the day.
That said, there’s a big difference between intentional breaks and unplanned distractions. Planned breaks help you recharge, but distractions quietly break your focus. Research from the University of California, Irvine shows that after an interruption, it takes about 23 minutes to fully return to a task.
And while spending nearly one-third of the workday on email already sounds worrying, it gets worse. Studies suggest that around 75% of workplace interruptions are actually self-created, which explains why many of us feel busy but not truly productive.