We humans have built in 90-minute rhythms, according to Jim Loehr ancd Tony Schwartz in their book, The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal.

Our productivity has a natural ebb and flow. About 90 minutes into a task that requires concentration we begin to lose concentration. However, if we take a break for a few minutes, we recover and we’re ready to concentrate again.

In their book, Loehr and Schwartz mention an executive who experimented with breaks and discovered that if he periodically stopped to juggle for a few minutes, he had renewed focus and energy. The juggling took his mind completely off his work and when he returned to the task at hand, he increased his productivity.

Since I spend a lot of time writing, I’ve begun experimenting with taking breaks to make a move in online chess games. Chess uses an entire different part of my brain than my usual work. ChessCircle is a great website that makes it possible for me to play 3-4 games at one time. I usually make one or two moves in each game each day as part of my work-renewal rhythm.

1st published 7/1/08.