To take breaks when working from home?

[99r]

My work is very intense and requires a lot of concentration, and I often spend several days working on one single document. The past couple of days I have been really struggling to concentrate and stay motivated, I have barely any meetings in my job and I barely have any admin or emails to reply to so I'm usually spending the full 7 hour workday staring at the same document. Our time is billable, and I have to log around 7 hours of billable time per day, so I feel guilty taking breaks but it is tedious.

I never had this issue in other (similar) jobs, as there were always meetings, admin and emails to give my brain a rest.

WIBU to take around 5 minutes every hour or so just to let my brain relax?

Think about your eyes! I find the 20 20 20 thing really doable Even when I'm really busy

www.healthline.com/health/eye-health/20-20-20-rule

Genuinely considering it... But just wondering what roles people do. I looked at EHCP coordinator recently and people said it was intense and everyone leaves within a year so maybe not. Obvious social workers and teachers work for local gov but people face. Admin staff get paid about 23k and I want to earn more than that...

I work very hard but would love the flexibility to choose to stop and take a 10min break in the garden! Mental health wise I think I md work for longer.

Pretty sure one is obliged to take at least one break in 7 hours

Of course, you have to move away for the sake of your eyes and health.
I'm up for 5 mins every 45 mins or so. Cup of tea / toilet / put laundry in machine etc.
I'm chattier and can move around more in the office so I'm not going to feel guilty getting regular mini comfort breaks.

I so need a wfh job. Like really.

Breaks yeah but doing all your household chores is taking the piss.

Take breaks
I take 2 x 15 mins and a 30 min lunch in 9hrs, mine is screen based and we have to take that time

I don't understand. Surely they are not expecting you to work w/o a break for 7 hours. If you work for 7 hours during the day in total does it matter how those hours were split?

I also have a brain intensive job (journal editor). I have an app which locks my monitor for 5 mins in every 60. I can't override it once it starts (if I have meetings planned I can pause the whole app). Apart from the obvious benefit of having a break, I find knowing I have a break in say 30 mins or whatever helps me to stay focussed and work more productively.

I wfh so don't have the office distractions of a long walk to the loo or tea breaks with colleagues.

You can get a lot done in 5 mins though - throw a load of washing on, hang washing on the line, wash up, a bit of tidying, peel some veg (one, not all of those!).

Have a commute to work (30 min outdoor walk), several breaks to move around (these could include loading washing/unloading dishwasher or even just standing in the garden looking into distance to refresh your eyes.)

If you can have a quick outdoor walk at lunch (prep your lunch the night before) or do a quick 15 min strength training .

My manager absolutely encourages it as we can be stuck at a screen 8-10hrs a day otherwise.