Mini Breaks Can Have A Profound Effect On Your Stress Levels

The environment, whether you are studying in school, operating in a production line, or typing away at an office workstation, can have a profound effect on your stress levels.

This problem should not have a huge impact on out mental state… if we are prepared for it. The problem compounds because people often leave themselves open to such “attacks” from the surroundings.

It is like looking right into the sun in sunglasses that don’t offer UV protection. You look right into the brightness thinking that you are protected. Your pupils open up to take in the rays thinking that the shades make it safe from harm. But in reality, this will only leave it wide open from the harmful effects of the sun.

It the same with how our surrounding can negatively affect out anxiety and stress levels.

Now of course there are circumstances that you have no power over. You can’t really change a classroom just because you don’t like noise from outside. And you surely cannot change your seats in the office just because phone lines keep ringing all over the place.

The best alternative solution that you can give yourself so as to relief your sanity is to make it a habit to incorporate breaks into your daily routines.

I’m not talking about tea breaks that last 30 minutes. I’m referring to mini-breaks lasting 2 to 5 minutes.

Something as simple as this can help you maintain a level of freshness throughout the day.

Studies have even shown that students studying for their most important exams absorb and retain more information when they study in 90-minute blocks followed by 20-minute rest breaks.

Convinced yet?

So next time you start feeling blue at work, try some of these:

  • Stand up and do a little stretching without embarrassing yourself in front of your colleagues
  • Get up and start walking to anywhere you want as long as you get back in 5 minutes max
  • Go have a friendly chat with a friend across the hall
  • Go to the washroom to washup
  • Go put something into the microwave and have a quick snack
  • Put on your earphones and listen to your favorite relaxation music

No matter what you do don’t use the mini-break time to:

  • Check you personal emails
  • Check your messages on the smart phone
  • Check your social media notifications
  • Call your spouse to delegate family tasks
  • stress your eyes by watching a funny video on Youtube

The break time is meant for your to relax. It defeats the purpose of it if you use it to do things that stresses you out.