The prefrontal cortex of the brain is mainly responsible for goal management. It orchestrates attention, working memory and other cognitive resources to help us get what we want.

For a challenging task, briefly taking our minds off the goal can renew and strengthen motivation. Doing activit...

This is important for your daily productivity. Good breaks can leave us feeling refreshed and energized. It can reduce mental fatigue, boost brain function and keep us on-task for extended periods.

The wrong sort of breaks might make us more vulnerable to boredom and make us want to take br...

Laughter increases heart rate, respiration, and gets our blood pumping. Short term effects show some improvements on memory tests.

Spontaneous laughter and forced giggles all have the same perks. Listen to a comedy podcast or read the comics section in the newspaper during a break.

Do 20-20-20- eye breaks to alleviate eye strain and fatigue. Every 20 minutes, stare at something 20 feet away, for 20 seconds.

Doing this requires blood to flow to brain areas that are not related to sustained attention. It may be the reason why eye exercises are restorative.

Exposure to nature restores the mind. One study showed better working memory scores for people after a walk in a natural environment, but not in an urban setting.

If you are unable to go into nature, find plants, fresh air or a fish tank. Sit down, take a deep breath, and notice the deta...