How to Relax, Recharge, and Connect.
Turns out 9-year-olds might be better at transitioning between tasks than us professionals.
I spent an hour in a third-grade classroom today helping with dream cabin cardboard design time. It was fun, engaging, and heavy on computations. When the teacher announced it was time to transition to journaling, I packed my stuff to leave. Thankfully I was slow, which allowed me to witness the entire class engage in a “Brain Break.”
The teacher put on a silly video that encouraged everyone to stand up, clap, do some call and response, and giggle. It was fantastic to see every child participate. It also made me wonder if I was ever taught this positive transition technique in my early years… I don’t think so.
In today's fast-paced and demanding work environment, it's more important than ever to take mental breaks. Taking a few minutes to step away from your work can help you and your team improve your productivity, increase your creativity, reduce stress, and boost your overall well-being.
A mental break is a short, intentional activity that helps to improve focus, concentration, and creativity. Breaks can be done individually or as a group, and they can last anywhere from a few minutes to 15 minutes. Some common types of brain breaks include:
Movement breaks: Get up and walk around. You can also do a bit of stretching, an office appropriate yoga poses, or go big with jumping jacks.
Mindfulness exercises: Pay attention to the present moment or practice some deep breathing. Add a sensory moment by pausing to notice something you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste.
Creative activities: Do something creative, such as drawing on the white board or sketching in your notebook. If you are working from home, take 5 minutes to play your favorite instrument or sing at the top of your lungs.
Social breaks: Connect with others. Talk to a friend in the hall. Make a new friend at the water cooler. Better yet, combine this social connection with a movement break.
Find what works for you. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to taking mental breaks. Experiment with different activities and find what helps you to relax and recharge the most. If you don’t know what to try, look up the silly call-and-response brain break videos on YouTube!
If you have other tips and tricks for creating spacing in your day for more productivity, creativity, and stress relief, please share in the comments. We're all learning together!!
#brainbreak #mindfulness #havefunatwork
@elmmcoaching
