Tools For A Quick And Calming Midday Break
Most of us live very busy lives and we work all day long, and when we get a chance to relax during midday, we aren't able to properly enjoy it or benefit from it. Taking a quick break during midday is very important for your mental and physical health. It can also keep you focused and replenish your energy so that you can continue your day with a refreshing start. Your office lunch hour is a perfect time in your day to do so.
Here are a few tools that can help you get the best out of your midday break.
Leave Your Desk or Work Place
If you truly want to benefit from your midday break, you will have to leave your work desk. It is better to leave your office for a while. The change of scenery will impact your mental state and can help you calm your nerves. It is one of the highly recommended methods for those working in extremely stressful environments. Leaving your work desk for a few minutes will give you a fresh start when you come back to work.
Take a Walk
Apart from leaving the desk, the next highly recommended tool for a calming midday break is to go for a short walk. As mentioned in the above paragraph, it will provide a change of scenery that impacts your mental state and can make you calm. Taking a walk will not only provide a change of scenery but will also help you recover from weariness. Sitting on your desk or working in the same position can have a severe impact on your muscles. So, when you take a walk during your midday break, your muscles will be able to recover from that. Taking a walk can also improve your mood.
Exercise or Meditate
Some people like meditation, practicing mindfulness, and exercise and if you are one of them and want to make most of your work break, you should do whatever you love. If you like meditation, mindfulness, or yoga, you should do that during your break. All of these have a huge impact on your health and fitness and help you recharge yourself. Meditation and exercise are also linked to positive attitude development. It is important to make sure that you don't overdo it. While doing any of these activities, you should remember that it is just for a break as overdoing it during the work can have a reverse impact as well.
Take a Quick Nap
If you are not rested properly, you won't be able to work properly. So, whenever possible, you should take a nap during your midday break. You should set a timer, close your eyes, daydream, and nap. A 30 minutes sleep during the midday break can do wonders for you. It will help your mind and your body to relax and completely calm themselves. Our bodies can heal themselves when we sleep, and the same goes for our brains as well. So, when you take a 30 minutes nap during midday at work, you will be giving time for your body and mind to heal. It is also one of the most recommended midday break tools for relaxation.
Drink Coffee or Tea
A lot of people make the mistake of drinking cold drinks when having lunch during the midday break. Having a cold drink can have negative effects on your health and will provide you with nothing more than a sweet taste. But if you have some coffee or tea during lunch hours, it will help you improve your energy levels and focus. Also, coffee or tea can help you wake up from a nap as well.
Have a Conversation
It is something that I would recommend to everyone. You should talk to someone during your break time. Be it a coworker, a loved one, or a friend. If you can have lunch with someone else, you should do that. But even if you are having lunch alone, you can talk to the people working there, or someone from your office. It can be nice to ask someone for lunch or form a group where you can have lunch together with others. Having a healthy conversation during the midday break can take your mind off of a lot of things and can make you feel fresh. Also, it helps in bonding with your coworkers, which impacts positively on your mental health.
Listen To Soulful Music
For those who are not interested in doing anything else or going outdoors, this is a tip for you. Music can impact your soul, mental state, and even your physical body. You should play something calming and soothing. Music can also help you improve your mood, and make you more focused and refreshed. It is recommended to keep your music to yourself in your workplace, the use of headphones can ensure that.
Put Down Your Phone
If you want to enjoy your break time, you must keep your phone in your pocket. The moment you take your phone out of your pocket, you will be hooked to it, and won't even realize that your break moments have ended. It has many negative impacts on your mental and physical health. Having your phone in hand won't allow you to utilize your break time the way you want. So, it is highly recommended that you put your phone on silent, or turn off notifications for that hour.
You can also pick a special hobby for the break time in your office. It can be anything that you like. For example, a lot of people have plants on their desks. You can also have a pot on your desk, and spend some of your time taking care of it. It is something that will take your mind off everything around you and will make you calm. Some people also make origami using paper during their midday break, which is also a very popular and effective way to take your mind off work.
