The Power of Brain Breaks

I recently attended a professional development session where the presenter, Tony Vincent, shared something that truly stuck with me; the importance of brain breaks. He highlighted studies showing that students begin losing focus after just 10 minutes, meaning in a typical 30-minute lesson, they may only be actively engaged for about 15 to 20 minutes. That's a significant chunk of lost instruction time!

To combat this, he adjusted his teaching strategy, breaking up lessons into three 10-minute chunks with a quick brain break in between. But what really intrigued me was his perspective that these aren't just brain breaks; they're brain boosts. Research suggests that giving the brain a moment to rest actually helps it process and retain information better.

This got me thinking. Why should this concept only apply to students? As adults, we often get so wrapped up in our tasks that we go into autopilot. Speaking from personal experience, I can spend hours working on teaching, writing, and other projects, only to realize I've lost track of time. But if someone asked me what I had accomplished, I might struggle to recall details because I was so deep in the work.

Would I be more productive if I took short, intentional breaks? This week, I put it to the test. I'm still struggling to consistently step away, but I have managed to take a few one-minute brain boosts each day. And you know what? It's helping.

The presenter also shared some great resources, and I've found them incredibly useful, not just as a way to pause, but as mindful moments that help me reset. If you're curious, try one of these and see how just one minute can refresh and re-energize you:

🔹 Pixel Thoughts – A simple 60-second meditation. https://www.pixelthoughts.co/

🔹 Typing Zen Affirmations – A quick, mindful activity to recenter yourself. https://classroomzen.com/brain-breaks/typing-zen

Now, stop reading this post and try one! Then come back and tell me—did that one-minute brain boost help you refocus? Let's start making breaks a part of our productivity, not just something we feel guilty for taking!