Being productive doesn't necessarily mean that you have to actually 'produce' something. Sometimes doing 'nothing' will get you where you want to be, in less time.
I think most of us assume that when we are actively working on something or making incremental progress towards a goal that we need to do it by staying busy, moving ahead, nose-to-the-grindstone.
Seems to make sense and in most cases, that is, actually, the case. But there are times, and this probably happens more than most folks would think is true, that we need to step away from what we are doing, to get to where we would like to be.
When you start to feel like you are reading the same sentence over and over or you find yourself making repeated mistakes, even on something that seems routine, you find that you keep checking your social feeds when you 'know' you should be 'working', or you just are feeling restless, it's probably time to take a break.
You could head to the fridge and grab a snack, do some gentle stretching at your desk, or maybe, put on your outdoor shoes and step outside.
Even taking a few deep breaths on your porch will help, Smell the roses in your garden, say hello to a neighbor passing by or better yet, put one foot in front of the other and start walking. Figure out how much time you feel you can afford to be away from your task, divide that in half and start moving. Look at your watch or set a timer on whatever device you have with you and head out. When you've come to that set time or your timer goes off, turn around. It's that simple!
You may find that when you get back, you are actually more productive in the rest of your day than you would have been if you had stayed at your task. According to the website mentalfloss.com, being outdoors can actually boost your energy.
So the next time you feel a little sluggish, or you aren't quite as sharp as you'd like to be, go recharge your batteries by stepping outside! For more information on the benefits of being outdoors check out: