[steve_adams_86]

I think sometimes some of these can be great strategies for relieving your mind from more difficult tasks. For me documenting or writing tests isn't a real mental break, but it sometimes feels like one if I've been hacking away at a tough problem for 4 hours.

It isn't complete relief like going for a walk but it can be a better use of your time.

I found working in labour jobs the same. Say you're packing sacks of cement up a hill for 2 hours to a lot with bad access, and you're burnt out. You've got another 2 hours of hauling sacks to go, or you could take a break and paint some siding. If you push through the cement job you're going to be really burnt out today and probably tomorrow too, and if you paint the siding, you'll recover a little and feel way better today and tomorrow. Work will still get done though. If the job is urgent and taking a walk isn't really an option, painting the siding is your best bet.