Breaking Up?
Are you taking frequent breaks from your computer and desk work? In our last article, we discussed research supporting the time and duration of breaks. "I don't have enough time" is no longer an excuse for skipping a break, since data from various sources indicate that taking breaks at least once an hour actually makes you more productive. How can you make break times as effective as possible?
Start by taking frequent mini-breaks from 10 seconds to a few minutes in length every 10 minutes. Here is a list of things you can do, without even leaving your chair, to help you recuperate from the physical, mental and emotional stresses of the day. Find out what works best for you by trying them for a week or so.
In addition to taking regular breaks from your seated work, stand up to work as much as possible.
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Take a few deep breaths that go all the way into your belly. Notice whether your belly, chest and back move when you breathe.
- Massage your upper arms, chest, and the sides of your neck by tapping on them. Let your fingers relax, and allow your fingertips to bounce gently on your skin and bones as you tap. Then press deeper for a more effective massage of the tight muscles.
- Stomp your feet on the floor.
- Look away from the computer screen or reading material and blink your eyes slowly and gently. At the same time, massage your forehead to release excess tension.
- Use a relaxed gaze to investigate things you can see as far away as possible. Without straining to see more than you can see easily, notice colors and textures, and trace outlines with your gaze.
- Keep tennis balls at your desk and roll them under your feet.
- Use tennis balls to massage tight areas of your back by putting one or two of them behind you and leaning into them. Use your own weight to regulate the amount of pressure. You can also lie on the balls. Be careful not to put pressure directly on your spine, but rather on the muscles on either side.
- Rotate all your joints, using their full range of motion. Find ways to rotate your wrist, elbow and shoulder at the same time so that every joint is being used in the motion. Then do the same with your legs. Allow the thigh bone to roll around in the hip socket.
Derived from "Break Bits", online newsletter of The Body at Work (www.thebodyatwork.com)
