Monday, October 14, 2013

Your Desk ..... A Vacation Spot?

If you're like me, you spend hours at your desk. Probably more time than you should! Well, if you are burning the midnight oil, know that taking a break is essential to your productivity. Working long hours without interruption actually can lead to more mistakes and less creativity.

When I get overwhelmed, I use one of the three factors below to help me relax at my desk and to take a mini-vacation.

1. YouTube. This is actually a great distraction. I use YouTube to find funny videos or watch a bank I love perform a favorite song live. Maybe I just spend a 1/2 hour browsing some of the website's most popular videos. Either way, YouTube is a great distraction and a way to fit in a mini-break.

2. Stretching. OK, you might have to shut the door for this one. Yes, stretching at your desk (or even doing Yoga) is a great way to unwind and feel as if you are somewhere else. You start to move your muscles and release dopamines and tension. If you can do stretches at your desk, do them. If you're in a place where the public can see you- try deep breathing exercises. These have the same impact.

3. Call a friend. Nothing says "I'm on break" like a personal phone call. But in reality, reaching out to a friend is a way to take a mental break from those long working hours. Even if you have to use Facebook or Twitter, reach out to friends to catch up quickly.

I'm not advocating you use work time to hang out on social media all day, but there are some benefits to using it for a half hour or less during long work days.

Happy Monday everyone,

Twyla Garrett

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