More and more research show that productivity, creativity, and memory are impacted when the mind and body are not rested. Several unhealthy habits tend to emerge in the workplace, such as not resting your eyes, sitting for too long, bad posture, and more.
What are active breaks and how could they help you improve these habits at work? Active breaks are physical or mental exercises that are performed for a small period of time during the day, 3 to 10 minutes, to revitalize the body’s energy and refresh the mind.
If you have no idea what kind of breaks you can do, here are some examples of simple options for you to start practicing them at work.
01
Take a few minutes and pause whatever you are doing. Actively think about how your muscles relax from your head to your feet. Connect with your mental health and ask yourself how you are feeling today. Try not to judge your thoughts, let them flow, and just look at them in a mindful way. You can also observe your surroundings and focus on how things look, textures, or the sounds you are hearing.
02
Set aside a few minutes of your day to stretch your body. You can start in your chair by circling your head to stretch your neck and rolling your shoulders back and forth. It would be a good idea to get up and do other stretches with your hands, arms, back, hips, and legs. This will stretch your whole body.
03
Walk around the entire room or some outdoor space that you can go to. Do this without rushing and be aware of how your steps are touching the floor. Don´t think about work, it is a time for you to connect with your body. You could also refill your water bottle in a water fountain, if there is one in your workplace. This way, you can take advantage of that time to make an active pause.
These active breaks don’t take much time and can help you in your personal life and make you a more productive person during your working hours.
Triple-S Salud provides your employees with comprehensive care focused on their physical and emotional well-being. For more details and benefits, visit https://salud.grupotriples.com/en/small-and-medium-businesses/
Sources:
https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/engage/news/how-pause-can-improve-your-productivity
https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/initiatives/resource-center/pdf/Workplace-Physical-Activity-Break-Guide-508.pdf
