The Benefits of Breaking

Life is busy. We all juggle calendars at both work and home with events, meetings, conference calls and deadlines. It can be challenging to keep ourselves organized and focused as we move throughout our days from one activity to the next if we don’t give our bodies and brains a break.

How often do you take time between meetings to either stretch, hydrate or breathe for a moment? Do you take time away for lunch or do you eat at your desk and continue to work without a break? Do you go for a walk during the workday or spend time quietly by yourself? All of these practices can be incorporated into your day to help you achieve a greater sense of wellbeing and balance to stay on track and be present in the moment.

While it is not easy to change habits and routines, both physical and mental breaks can help you stay motivated and focused throughout the workday and still have the energy to do what you love at the end of the day.

OneDigital continually looks for ways to support a healthy work-life balance. We practice walking meetings, mindful meditations, group lunch breaks and other activities that promote the importance of mindfulness. Understanding these benefits, we wanted to share this positive culture with our clients.

We engaged the expertise of Cheryl Jones, Aetna’s Director of Mindfulness, to lead a discussion on the importance of taking breaks. The afternoon was spent learning about the importance of taking physical breaks, such as getting up from your desk, going for a walk and stretching; as well as taking mental breaks such as meditation, breathing exercises and quiet reflection. The fact is that most people do not make time for these simple, yet effective solutions. Cheryl also shared ideas for boosting our energy levels through:

• Recognizing stressful thinking
• Listening to your body
• Taking in the positive
• Responding instead of reacting
• Being kind and patient with yourself

These activities encouraged engagement and participation amongst the audience. Our clients shared their own personal experiences, mindfulness techniques and ideas to stay energized. We were excited to receive positive feedback from our clients after the event:

“Cheryl was awesome. She really has a way to make you realize there is more to life than where you are.”

“We are all so busy, taking time to learn how to slow down is a valuable skill.”

“It was wonderful! Cheryl Jones is a great speaker and I learned a lot of tips from her. It made me stop and think not only about the negative habits that I need to change, but also the positive ones I practice that I could pass on to others.”

In many work cultures, taking breaks during working hours is seen as unproductive and a waste of time. However, breaks have many benefits such as helping to refocus and remotivate employees for boosted productivity. Contact your OneDigital consultant for more information on how you might incorporate mindful practices at your organization.