Newsroom
Being present and increasing your efficiency
May 31, 2018
I've sometimes walked to the kitchen to get a warm up on my coffee - only to realize I left the coffee mug sitting on my desk. You could say that's a sign I really need the coffee.
In reality, I am probably just distracted. It happens because I'm thinking about other things - an email I just received, the next meeting, or an ongoing project - the list could go on and on. In any case, it's not a very efficient use of time.
It's sometimes when we are the busiest that we find ourselves the least efficient. We have a million things to do and think about. We are so overwhelmed we forget the task in front of us. Our mind isn't in the present moment but somewhere else. It's one of the reasons multi-tasking (as all the studies have revealed) just doesn't work.
So when I take a break from work, I need to get away both physically and mentally. Getting up from the desk isn't truly a break if my mind is still thinking about work.
So the next time I take a break, maybe I'll enjoy my coffee in the kitchen - and leave my mug there.