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Arun V J: You Don’t Need More Coffee – You Need a Microbreak

Arun V J/LinkedIn

Nov 17, 2025, 05:34

Arun V J: You Don’t Need More Coffee – You Need a Microbreak

Arun V J, Consultant in the Department of Transfusion Medicine at Malabar Medical College, shared a post on LInkedIn:

”You Don’t Need More Coffee — You Need a Microbreak.
We were all taught to work hard.
To focus. To keep pushing. But nobody taught us how to rest.

In school, we learned how to study — not how to recover.
In medicine, we learned how to work under pressure — not how to pause.
For years, I believed that sitting longer and working harder meant I was being productive.
But truth is — you can’t pour from an empty cup.

Here’s the science they don’t teach you:
Every time you think, decide, or multitask — your brain burns ATP, its energy currency.

When ATP depletes, you start feeling dull, foggy, and irritable — that’s not laziness, that’s neurochemical fatigue.

A short, intentional pause — a microbreak — allows your brain to refuel.
It resets your neurotransmitters, lowers cortisol, and brings your focus back online.

What’s a microbreak?
It’s a 30-second to 5-minute pause between tasks.

Stretch your neck and shoulders.
Take 3 slow breaths before your next patient or meeting.
Look out of the window and let your brain wander.

You’re not wasting time.
You’re recharging your attention — the same way your phone needs a quick charge to keep going.

For me, microbreaks changed everything.
Instead of ending my day drained, I now end it calm and clear.
I get more done — with less frustration.

Here’s a challenge:

This week, take one microbreak every 2 hours.
Close your eyes for 60 seconds.
Stretch. Breathe.
Then observe how your focus changes.

We glorify exhaustion like it’s a badge of honor.
But burnout isn’t proof of commitment – it’s a signal that you forgot to pause.
You don’t need another productivity app.
You just need a few moments of silence in your day.

Because the truth is — the most productive people aren’t the ones who never stop.
They’re the ones who know when to pause.

If this resonated, I wrote a full article on ThirdThinker about the science of microbreaks and how they can rewire your focus.

Save this post for later.

Comment “PAUSE” if you’re taking your first microbreak today.

Let’s normalize rest as part of productivity.”

Arun V J