Busy? Of course we all are. You’re either running late to work or juggling your meeting schedule or sorting out your mailbox or preparing the kid’s baon or planning this week’s palengke shopping or replying to tweets, commenting on people’s status…the list goes on. What’s worse is that sometimes, we have to do a lot of these things all at the same time.
We’ve created a culture of multi-tasking worker bees who actually opt to take fewer breaks (some even none at all!) just to get through their to-do list for the day. However, even science is telling us to take a break. Various studies have shown that our brains are simply wired that way: breaks help us to refocus, relax, and reevaluate.
So we’ve listed down several ways to help you on what to do when your body is on a break from taking orders from your brain:
- Walk. Get up from that office chair and take a 20-minute walk. This helps to get the blood flowing to your brain, helping improve your memory and boost your creativity.
- Read. Get your favorite fiction author’s latest book and start reading. Engaging your mind in a non-work related reading material helps you to step away from your daily tasks and get back with a fresher mind and perspective.
- Coffee, coffee, coffee. Jolt your system awake with a cup of coffee. Tea for non-coffee drinkers.
- Eat. Snack on healthy brain-boosting food such as: avocado, nuts, dark chocolate, nuts, carrots, whole grain crackers, etc.
- Browse the web. Go on Twitter, check your Facebook, take another Buzzfeed quiz. Just let your mind enjoy your non-work time online and come back rejuvenated and ready for more tasks ahead.
- Take a 20-20-20 exercise for your eyes. Eye strain is commonly caused by staring at the computer for hours on end and the only way to alleviate this stressful problem is to take a 20-20-20 eye break. After a 20 minutes of computer use, take at least a 20-second break and focus your eyes on objects that are 20 feet away.
- Take a 10-minute workout. Exercise is proven to help people gain more energy and the good news is you don’t need an hour of it or a gym membership to activate those happy hormones. Do a little stretching or some other in-place exercise. If you have a smartphone, download any of those 7-minute workout apps to help you out.
- Meditate. Take a cue from the undefeated Ateneo Lady Eagles Women’s Volleyball Team. Even during the most crucial of times, Coach tai has kept his players focused by making them close their eyes even between sets just top help the ladies meditate – clear their minds and focus on their plays.
- Talk. To People. In Real Life. Hang by the water station a bit and chat up a co-worker. Ask your work best friend to eat out for lunch.
- Plan your next vacation. Summer is almost here and the Holy Week holiday is just around the corner. Take a break to plan all the fun stuff you said you’ll do this year and get on with it. Research has proven that anticipating an upcoming fun activity can actually make you happier than the activity itself.
- Take a nap. Research shows that even a 10-minute nap is enough to help improve cognitive performance, relieve fatigue, and provide you with enough energy to last another long stretch at work.
- De-clutter. A clear desk is to a clear mind. No matter how many times you say “It’s my mess I know where everything is, don’t worry about it”, looking at a cluttered desk is actually messing with your mind and work flow. Take a few minutes to de-stress by keeping your desk organized and clutter-free.
- Doodle. Write a fun note. Take a few photos. Doing something fun and creative helps light up networks in your brain connected to problem-solving and better memory recall.
Let us know other ways you stay productive when on a break! Leave us a comment below.
