Take a break from work to be more productive

Ever wondered what causes people to sleep off in office spaces? No, it's not sleep deprivation alone. It's also something about the closed environment in offices, which causes more carbon dioxide to be retained. Related as well to watching the computer screen for too long, which causes your eyes to dry up.

Some argue that it's also because of the wooden furniture around you at work, which releases something like formaldehyde causing sleep-inducing toxins.

Whatever be the cause, I'd say don't try to fight that sleepy feeling you get. Take a 10-minute break and get a shut-eye. It's commonly called a 'power nap'. When you get up, make sure you take something that refreshes you. It could be that unhealthy black liquid, which goes by the name of coffee, or it could be fresh fruit juice.

Also, it's not a bad idea to get up from your chair every 40 minutes and do some stretches, or just go for a walk around your office corridors. Change of scene helps a lot. Trust me, when you get back to your seat after just 10 minutes of doing-something-other-than-staring-at-your-computer-like-a-stuffed-frog, you'll feel rejuvenated. Your productivity also increases significantly, as your mind clears up and your brain gets more oxygen.

Another option is to listen to some soothing music, whilst working (provided one can manage that). For me, Hindustani instrumental helps - especially flute and sarangi. The sitar by nature is a lot more lively, so I keep that for later - like when I'm doing some light work.

So, take a break from work to give back more to your work!