[25 June 2021] Day 25 of the fmco* in Malaysia
The first time I touched a computer (not counting the calculator) was in 1981. At that time, I was not sure what I would choose for my major in university. After my first programming assignment on that primitive computer, I knew Computer Science would be my first checkmark in the university application form.
Since then, I have had too many experiences in which the computer gets stuck. Devices will hang, or I get a blue screen, or it just does not accept my swipes on the screen.
There’s a joke IT people share among ourselves — if all else fails, turn it off and on again. 🙂 Computer Science 101.
Yes, most times, all we need to do is just that – reboot and reset.
Humans need this too.
It’s the same as us human beings. We need to reset every now and then throughout the day. Taking breaks help us relax, refresh ourselves, and return us to our physical and mental baseline. It resets our moods and promotes positive wellbeing. This restores our energy and mental resources.
If you have a lot to do or if you are working on something complex, you may think that taking breaks are a waste of time. But the reality is that taking these breaks will boost our productivity.
Ideas for breaks
Since we started the lockdowns and working from home, it has been really difficult to take breaks throughout the work day. When we walk away from our desk, we end up doing household chores. It’s not really a break. Here are some suggestions for you:
- Talk to your team members and agree on the necessary break times each of you need to take. It can be a 10 to 20-minute breaks.
- Once agreed, team members must help each other to stick to the schedule.
- Set the alarms on your phone or smart watches.
- Plan your break time activity – like chair yoga, read the next chapter of a book, work on a jigsaw puzzle, or even make that call to an old friend just to say hello. It’s best that you stay off-screen during this time.
- Check on how you feel after these activities. The pleasure you experience will motivate you to take these breaks regularly.
Unplug and reset.
I hope this helps you achieve better work-life balance even though it’s all done at home.
(Feature Image by Mote Oo Education from Pixabay)
About the Author: Gina Phan is a consultant and trainer with Zinfinity Consulting. She currently conducts courses in workplace performance skills. Click here to contact her, follow her on Facebook or connect with her on Linkedin.
#takingbreaks #rest #productivity
#trainergina #ginaphan #gp
