Take breaks to win big
In part 2 of Grigoriy "ahlinpoker" Skrypnik's investigation into breaking up play, he looks into the most productive breaks you can take.
As we previously found out, breaks are a necessary part of a poker player's working process. But what is a good break and what is a bad one? "Breaks" spent in social networks or on forums, watching videos or playing video games, are useless as our brain keeps receiving new information, and this doesn't really suit our goal of clearing our minds and restoring concentration. On the contrary, after such 'breaks', you'll quite likely feel even worse. This isn’t just poker we're talking about either, this also concerns studying, theoretical research and just doing your 'regular job'!
The first step towards taking a good break is getting a change of scenery. This is critical if we want our brains to recover properly. This means you should stay away from your PC, TV, phone and other such gadgets. Your break will be much more effective if you:
- Go for a walk (fresh air is best, but even walking within your home will help). Some studies have confirmed that workers that eat their dinner in a park show better results in solving complex problems than their colleagues who prefer to stay inside.
- Eat something (preferably fruit and nuts, maybe a little yoghurt.
- Drink some water.
This quick ritual (five minutes should be enough) will speed up your metabolism and increase blood flow to your brain. It will also provide some energy to your body thanks to the necessary nutrition. After a break like this you'll return to your work rested and ready to act.
If you're not in a poker session, I'd recommend 15-min breaks to let your brain fully recover. These additional 10 minutes can be spent on a longer walk or a favourite activity away from your monitors. Among these can be push-ups, stretching, yoga, juggling, or some puzzle toy like Rubik's cube. Just make sure such an activity doesn't require too much thinking.
To strengthen your cardio-vascular system, doctors recommend exercising 30 minutes per day. Taking a break is a great way to achieve this! Finnish scientists had been conducting their studies for 28 years and, according to the results, workers who don't take breaks are more vulnerable to cardio-vascular diseases.
One of your 15-20 minute breaks can also be used to get some sleep, just don’t snooze longer than half hour. It was proven that 'sleepy' breaks can positively affect your attention, memory and productivity. NASA tested this on 747 pilots and found that some participants of the study had, on average, an additional 25.8 minutes of sleep per day and showed significantly better results than those without additional sleep.
Unconcerned activities
There are also other activities that can be very productive if conducted during a break. The activities below are especially useful if you need some creative respite, something to bring in new ideas. Everybody has different preferences, so you'll have to define your most effective activity on the list. Such activities are labled 'unconcerned' because you perform them 'on autopilot' without unnecessary concern, and so you can think about completely different matters. Here are a few examples:
- Clean up your apartment
- Make your bed
- Shave
- Brush your teeth
- Cook some food
- Vacuum
- Play with your pets
- Go shopping
The greatest thing about these activities is that you do something useful while letting your mind rest easy. Besides, your mood will improve because you did something for yourself during a break!
Call to action!
I'm sure you already plan your daily activities and have some time set aside for poker. But remember, you need to plan your rest as well because your best results will be achieved by taking breaks as both work and rest are interconnected!
Use specialised software to set your alarm clock to ring after 90-120 minutes from the start of your session and give you a break reminder.
First, take a few deep breaths and exhales while trying to relax. It might help to close your eyes.
Make sure you leave the place, or preferably the room, where you play or work.
You'll have to experiment with different activities to find the most suitable for you, but even if you find an ideally structured break for yourself, don't let it become a stale routine. Mix things up and try something new every now and then.
Repeat the process every time you return to work, studies or your game. Breaks will greatly improve your productivity and your eyes, back, neck and hands will be grateful too as they are especially vulnerable during long sessions.
Also, don't forget that great ideas are often born while your mind is resting. They say, Albert Einstein figured out his relativity theory while riding a bicycle. So if you're confused or feel stuck in a vicious circle of sorts, a good break may be the thing you need to give you that sweet power-up.
Other articles by Grigoriy "ahlinpoker" Skrypnik
- Rest better to win big!
- When you knew there were nuts...
- Why our feelings don't agree with the maths?
- How overconfidence could be your downfall
- How your brain betrays you at the poker table
