{"id":1295,"date":"2014-07-14T15:15:37","date_gmt":"2014-07-14T15:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uktech.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1295"},"modified":"2014-07-14T15:15:37","modified_gmt":"2014-07-14T15:15:37","slug":"boost-your-performance-stop-working","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uktech.co.uk\/blog\/2014\/07\/boost-your-performance-stop-working\/","title":{"rendered":"Boost your performance – stop working!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following on from my recent post regarding health and the keyboard slave<\/a>, I thought I would review a piece of software called “Breaker” – which basically nags you to take a break….<\/p>\n

\"screenshot_71\"<\/a>
Breaker from DDV Software<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

When you’re tightly focused on the task at hand, time can evaporate quickly, before you realise. Software which reminds you to take a break – at customisable intervals, is, in my humble opinion, no bad thing.<\/p>\n

I would go as far as saying, that regular 10 minute breaks throughout the day actually increase productivity: your brain will focus better after a break, especially if it is properly hydrated.<\/p>\n

To\u00a0really<\/strong>\u00a0‘<\/em>get things done’ – \u00a0just drink more water and take short, frequent, breaks.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

To improve even further – don’t multi task.<\/p>\n

Yep, that’s right – don’t do it<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Because even computers can’t multi task – they time slice<\/a> instead – ordering tasks according to priority and executing them alternately – one at a time. This also happens to be almost exactly what people do – just much<\/strong> <\/em>slower and\u00a0basically they end up doing two jobs badly, instead of one job well.<\/p>\n

Don’t believe me?<\/p>\n

Try this: talk to your boss on the phone about approaching deadlines, while simultaneously debugging a piece of Java script or editing a document.<\/p>\n

Breaker to the Rescue<\/h4>\n

Breaker helps by allowing you to configure time ‘slots’ for a work \/ break pattern, then prompting you with a low key alarm at the appropriate times.<\/p>\n

\"screenshot_72\"<\/a>
Configurable time slots<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It is actually quite handy – the default alarm is just enough – to get you to take note that you need to stretch your legs. It’s simple to use and really doesn’t interfere with the task at hand – it merely reminds you it was x hours before your last break.<\/p>\n

And that is no bad thing – the science is overwhelmingly in favour of multi short breaks throughout the day.
\n
Humans are good at focusing on one task for short periods – after many hours slogging away at the same thing without a break, productivity drops off severely<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So, take a break and get more done!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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