I take this time to practice my heart focused breathing which is an amazing replenishing activity to build my resilience and boost my energy.ĥ. This helps link what I do to my sense of joy and this boost of positive emotions helps with better decision making and improve memory – so even if you are too busy to take a break, a small micro break to focus on what ever it is you have put on your desk will make a difference. I have a few pebbles from a beach holiday and it reminds me of time with my family and my friends. Put something on your desk which reminds you of the things you love to do or the people you love. Being outside naturally boosts physical and mental well being as well as giving me exposure to light which can be really lacking in modern offices or when you are cooped up inside.Ĥ. Do you work from home or by yourself? This is me and some days I realise I have sat down for hours without a break – the answer for me is to make sure I get outside at least twice during the day and always at lunchtime. It might seem more productive to quickly send the mail but all the studies show that taking breaks contribute to work productivity and speaking face to face with someone- lets face it, its much nicer to have some human contact and interaction… course there will always be some people and emails you would rather not meet the person for 😊ģ. Emails – see how many emails can actually turn into a quick face to face chat rather than sending an email. Put a visual cue somewhere on your desk to remind you to take a breakĢ. Some of these tips may help remind you that a break is due and you will reap the benefits in terms of better decision making, attention to detail, empathy, mood and all round human beingness.ġ. All the research now available to us shows us that we need to move, we need to take a break and we need to connect with people. I know many people who spend their entire day at their desk, barely seeing natural light, moving very little and eating at the desk if at all.

However, we know that taking regular breaks acutally replenishes your cognitive resources making the work easier and your brain more tuned on following a short break. It is all too easy to stay at your desk all day when you have deadlines approaching or are under pressure to finish something.

Micro break reminder