Pause of the Week
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A Pause That Refreshes
Reflection:
Aside from lunch, the most common pause in the typical work day is the sit-down coffee break.
These mid morning and mid afternoon breaks were originally negotiated by labour unions on behalf of steel workers and miners who engaged in backbreaking physical labour. Taking a sit down break restored muscle strength and replenished the physical energy needed to continue.
In the Information Age, the typical worker is far removed from swinging sledge hammers and pick axes. Much of the work that was once physically challenging has been automated. Most 'new' work is sedentary by nature. People who are sitting most of the day at work tend to strain two muscles: the butt and the brain. These need attention.
Action:
To make your 'coffee' breaks more energizing, think contrasts. If you sit all day, move. If you are stuck indoors, get outside. If you are surrounded by people, technology and general commotion, find solitude. If you are dealing with serious issues, find a way to laugh to let off steam.
When you build contrasts into your breaks, both butt and brain will return to work rejuvenated - and you'll have more zip left at the end of your workday.
Quote:
"Only the mediocre are at their best all the time."
- Gerry Roche
Resource:
One of the best - and most readable - references on energy renewal in the workplace is a book by Ann McGee-Cooper titled: 'You Don't Have To Go Home From Work Exhausted' (Bowen & Rogers, Dallas, TX, 1990).
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