- Rise & Thrive
- Posts
- This Small Mistake Destroys Your Focus & Mental Health
This Small Mistake Destroys Your Focus & Mental Health
Productivity is NOT about cramming more hours of work into your day. It's about being mindful about your energy, time and focus.

When it comes to productivity we face an issue that no generation before us has faced:
A constant stream of information.
While our brains are powerful, they’re not miracle workers. When you take in too much information, it becomes like a computer trying to run 17 programs simultaneously. It’s going to run incredibly slowly and might crash.
Have you ever crashed like that?
We’re talking burnout, head overflowing, distracted, stressed out and other symptoms.
If so, here’s the most likely culprit:
Your breaks.
I probably don’t need to tell you that it’s crucial to take breaks. You know that already, I’m sure. However, the important factor is what you do in your breaks.
Here’s the thing:
We often measure our breaks by the fun factor.
We should measure our breaks by resting our mind.
For example:
Let’s say you’ve been neck-deep into Excel sheets for an hour. You realize you need a break and step away from the screen. But, then you go to Instagram and scroll through your feed. Or maybe you watch a YouTube video during a short walk.
Do you see the issue?
You’re still taking in new information!
Yes, social media or a YouTube video might be more fun, but they’re stressful to your brain! You still need to focus and you have an endless stream of information coming in.
Your brain does NOT get that much needed break this way!
Try these instead:
Go for a short walk, no phone.
Get coffee out of the office or on another floor.
Stare out of the window and let your mind wander.
Do some light exercise (that doesn’t need intense focus).
Literally anything to just wind down and not think as much.
In short, give your mind a rest.
Quick Tip: If you spend your breaks away from screens, you’re already doing better than at least 90% of people. It doesn’t have to be complicated.
It has two modes:
One in which we take in information and the other in which we process it. In this second phase our minds organise information, learn things and recharge themselves.
This is why we have shower thoughts.
For most people, that’s the ONLY time during which they can wind down.
Create more of these moments in your life.
Remember: It’s okay to be bored. It’s okay to do nothing at all sometimes.
In fact, sometimes it’s the most productive thing you can do!
Cheers,
Maikel
Ps. Ready to boost your productivity while having less stress? Click here to get my free training and worksheets to do just that. (And maybe take a break after that)