From the course: Productivity Tips: Finding Your Rhythm

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Find your optimal break cycle

Find your optimal break cycle

From the course: Productivity Tips: Finding Your Rhythm

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Find your optimal break cycle

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- While working on my book "The Power of Having Fun" I learned an interesting principle of productivity, it's called the ultradian rhythm. Now you've likely heard of the circadian rhythm, which is typically applied to your best sleep and awake cycles in your day. The same sleep scientist who discovered the circadian rhythm, Nathaniel Kleitman, also discovered the ultradian rhythm. You and I have a variety of ultradian rhythms dealing with everything from heart rate to body temperature regulation. The cycles repeat many times within your day. In a workplace context you have an optimal cycle for how long you can work until you need a break. This activity-based ultradian rhythm varies for each person from around 90 minutes to two hours. If you're a person who needs a break every 100 minutes every minute you push past that 100 mark gives you a diminishing return. However, by taking a brief 10 to 20 minute break you give your…

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