There’s a perception that, because office work doesn’t require physical labor, we who work at a desk with a computer don’t need a break. This perception exists even among many office workers. We’re guilty of it ourselves!
But the repetitive tasks you perform at your desk may be just as taxing on your body as physical labor. Your neck muscles start to tighten. Your eyes begin to strain. You feel a discomfort in your wrists. Fortunately, there’s an answer:
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Hear George & Mary-Lynn discuss today's topic on The Bigg Success Show! Click the purple player to listen while you read: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Hear George & Mary-Lynn discuss today's topic on The Bigg Success Show! Click the purple player to listen while you read: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download___
Get away from your desk and your computer for five or ten minutes.
You don’t necessarily have to quit working. You can have a quick conversation with a co-worker about that project on which you’re both working. You could make a quick phone call.
But actually taking a little break from work may be just the ticket!
Try to do that at least every other hour. Take a short walk. Stretch. Breathe. Focus on something far away to give your eyes a break.
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For me, this really helps me get more done. Especially when I’m writing or trying to solve a complex problem, I often find the answer when I’m away from my desk.
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For example, we often come up with the title for our show when we step away for a few minutes. I feel better when I just stand up and move. It feels good to get my circulation going. I feel refreshed quickly and it gets me ready to tackle my next bigg challenge.
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It’s a little bit counter-intuitive, but it really does work. Try it for yourself and see.
We needed a reminder
But if you’re like us, you get so involved in your work that it can be difficult to remember to take a break. Fortunately, there’s an old-fashioned tool that helps you remember to get away.
It’s an alarm!
Set an alarm every hour so you remember to change up your routine for a few minutes.
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I won’t speak for you, Mary-Lynn, but I needed the alarm to develop the habit of getting away. Otherwise, I could just keep plugging away for hours. When I finally would get up, my body would say, “Whoa!”
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I’m the same way. I get in that zone and I just don’t think about getting up and stretching a little. The next thing you know, my neck is so tight that I can hardly stand it.
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A task to improve productivity
In case you aren’t convinced that a short break will improve your productivity, we’ll serve up a task that will definitely make a difference.
When your alarm goes off, stand up. Stretch a little. Move around.
Now compare your progress for the day against your To-Do List.
Are you on track? If you are, congratulate yourself. If not, double your efforts before the next alarm.
It may only take you a minute to do this. You may reward yourself with a longer break of five or ten minutes if you’re on track.
Find what works for you and then implement it for your bigg success!
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Thank you so much for taking the time to read our post today.
You’ve heard the phrase “think outside the box.” Frankly, we’ve heard it so much we’re sick of it. Next time, we’ll discuss how to always think outside the box. Please join us.
Until then, here’s to your bigg success!
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