In today’s information society, the efficiency of intellectual work, referred to as intellectual productivity, is highly valued. A trend has been observed where intellectual
concentration tends to decrease over time, leading to numerous studies on the benefits of short breaks. However, in these studies, breaks are predetermined and workers
are compelled to take breaks. There is a possibility that these breaks interrupt concentration, especially when they are in a state of high concentration. In this study, we
aimed to encourage self-determined refreshment during tasks to improve intellectual
productivity, an approach that few studies have tried. As a method to induce refreshment, airflow was used. In the experiment, a quantitative evaluation was conducted
using CTR (Concentration Time Ratio), an intellectual concentration index calculated
from response time data for the comparison task. The task duration was set at 45
minutes, with a 20-second airflow exposed every 7.5 minutes under the condition
with airflow. In addition to CTR, several surveys asking participants about subjective fatigue, a sense of refreshment, and so on were administered. As a result, CTR
improved in 4 out of 7 participants, and it was suggested that those whose CTR
decreased may have been distracted by the airflow. Participants’ impressions of the
airflow indicated that the airflow should be exposed for longer at a higher frequency
to make it more effective in improving concentration.