Saturday, January 24, 2009

Stressed Out At Work? Give Yourself A Break

By Craig Calvin

Today we live in a fast paced world and we must work harder to keep pace. That can translate to longer working hours with less personal time, and we often overlook the need to take breaks during our work day. The common perception is that we must continue working to get the job done, but the truth of the matter is that productivity actually goes up when companies require their employees to take breaks. Most states require a certain number of breaks each day.

The fact is, biologically we need food to fuel our bodies. Plus, having that half hour or hour to take a break can help recharge our emotional battery. If you don't already take your lunch break, try using the following advice to fill the time. This will ensure that you take your entire break for non-work related things. It is nice to work in an environment where you like the people you work with, so be social. If don't already know your co-workers, get to know them during your lunch break. You spend the majority of your day with your co-workers so it will serve you well to know what makes them tick.

Once a week try to get out of the office for a lunch with a friend or family member. Spending more time at the office requires that we spend less with our loved ones, so a lunch outing can be beneficial in that it not only lets you spend time socializing, but it provides a much needed change of scenery. Some people find it helpful to leave the office and take a short walk or bike ride. Or even visiting the gym for a quick workout can do wonders for clearing your head.

Between the time we're working and the time we're spending with personal and family responsibilities, we rarely take any personal time for ourselves. A lunch break can provide personal time that you can't find anywhere else, so take a few minutes and read from a book, browse the internet, or just listen to music.

You may even decide to go and get a haircut or have your nails done on your break. We often neglect ourselves and place our personal needs at the bottom of the priority ladder. This is a clear path to continued stress which ultimately is not healthy for us. Taking the time to learn how to balance work and pleasure will make you happier, and also your boss happier.

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment