Brain Breaks

  Although this is a hot topic in education at the moment, it is also applicable to anyone who works at a job requiring a lot of time seated.  This applies to me when I'm getting my blog updated and ready to go for the next week.

A brain break is a short break of physical activity designed to clear the brain of stress and overload so it functions better.  It is important to take brain breaks ever 30 to 60 minutes so you don't get fuzzy.

Basically the brain has two sides, one which deals with focus and efforts while the other side likes to wander.   The first side often gets too cluttered with information overload and the second part of the brain does not get a chance to wander so the brain basically stalls.

Some ways to take a brain break at the office.

1.  Get up and move around.  When I worked in an office, I would wander off to the bathroom, check on things, and take the long way around so I'd get a three or four minute break of just moving around.  Even three to four minutes is enough to reset the brain.  A short walk also has been shown to relieve stress, reduce fatigue, and boost energy.

2. If possible, take a short 25 to 30 minute nap to to increase energy, improve learning and memory, boost mental alertness, and increase and productivity.  I realize this is easiest done when you work at home.

3. Take a short break to calm the mind through deep breathing, meditation, or yoga to obtain maximum renewal in a minimum amount of time.  It can lower cortisol levels over time.

4. Volunteer to make a coffee run for the office so you can get out of the building and take a brain break.

5.  At lunch, walk around the building a couple of times while listening to music. 

6.  Use you cell phone, take it to a quiet place so you can pace while you make your calls.

Notice, most of these get you up and moving around so you can get a bit of exercise to get your brain unblocked. 

Let me know what you think.  I love to hear from people.