How to Take a Brain Break During Your Workday

And why you need one

Image created via Midjourney

I’ve worked from home for more than 15 years. I’ve spent entire workdays sitting cross-legged at my desk. I’ve eaten lunch and snacks at my desk, not giving myself any break in the day.

I don’t say this as a badge of honor. Sitting at a desk all day is terrible for our physical and mental health. Yale Medicine links prolonged sitting to back pain, heart disease, depression, and more.

On the flip side, researchers have found that taking breaks can help you “recharge and short-circuit the negative spiral of exhaustion and decreasing productivity.”

I’m no longer the “sit at my desk all day” person I once was. But I have to plan to give my brain a break during the workday. If I’m not intentional about breaks, I slip back into bad habits or feel overwhelmed.

Schedule your break

Whether you’re working for an employer or yourself, you can take a brain break during the day in a few ways.

Pomodoro technique

With the Pomodoro technique, you work in 25-minute intervals, followed by a five-minute break. If working long periods is exhausting, the Pomodoro might be a good fit for you. You can easily use the Pomorodo technique for extended…