Boost your mental alertness and mood by taking a short break
Boost your mental alertness and mood → Take a 5-15 minute break!
Disconnect from your work and maybe…
- Go visit a colleague
- Take a walk outside
- Go to the staff lounge 6B.1 (there are interesting activities there)
- Visit the Library (they have expositions at times, student art, and books highlighted by librarians)
- Walk around and explore the college.
Leave your phone aside during this time 😉.
Periodic disengagement from work-related tasks helps to restore mental energy and focus.
Even micro-breaks (less than 10-minute pauses from tasks) are effective in preserving high levels of vigor and alleviating fatigue. ¹
Engaging in physical activities, such as quick stretches or brisk walks, has been consistently linked with improved psychological and physical health.
On the contrary, passive activities such as browsing social media might not offer the same benefits. Indeed, one study found that while 97% of employees engage in social media during breaks, this type of activity is often associated with higher levels of stress and emotional fatigue post-break. ²
Give the short breaks a try and adopt the activities you like 😊.
References:
¹ Albulescu et al (2022) “Give me a break!” A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PLOS One 2022 Aug 31;17(8) “Give me a break!” A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance – PMC
² Rhee, H. and Kim, S. (2015) “Effects of breaks on regaining vitality at work: An empirical comparison of ‘conventional’ and ‘smart phone’ breaks”
Computers in Human Behavior; April 2016, Vol. 57, pages 160-167 Effects of breaks on regaining vitality at work: An empirical comparison of ‘conventional’ and ‘smart phone’ breaks – ScienceDirect
