Economic Cybernetics Department
ERI of Business, Economics and Management of SumDU

Life hack for increasing productivity: the golden rule of 52/17

We all know how intense the learning and working process can be, especially when it comes to complex algorithms, modelling or programming 🧠💻. But how can you maintain maximum productivity throughout the day without burning out?

🎓 British scientists from the University of Cambridge have found the answer, and it refutes our usual ideas about breaks!

Research shows that short ‘5-minute’ breaks to check social media or the news are not restful, but rather a productivity trap. The brain does not have time to reboot, and after such a ‘break’ we work even slower.

The golden formula that allows you to work like a terminator and save energy until the evening looks like this:

🚀 52 minutes — focused work without distractions;

🌿 17 minutes — complete rest, without screens and digital stimuli.

The main rule of a 17-minute break:

❌ No scrolling through your feed, checking your email or the news!

✅ Physically detach yourself from the screen: stand up, stretch, take a few steps, look out the window, drink some water. Give your eyes and brain a break from digital content.

So next time you notice a colleague staring thoughtfully at the ceiling, know that they are not slacking off, but improving their KPI in line with scientific recommendations! 📈😉

Information prepared based on materials from DATAbi digest: https://data-b-i.com/uk