Working long hours, meeting deadlines, traveling for work, and having other stressors in your life can start to make working difficult in the long run. Whether you work from home or in the office, it is plain and simple—we all need a break. The American Institute Of Stress even reported: “83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress.” Contrary to what our culture might have us believe, it’s not normal to feel significant stress daily. Each day we should take time out of it to refocus, breathe, and to focus on the now. If we do not take the time to do this, the stress can cause damage to our physical and mental health. What are some wellness break ideas that we can incorporate into our everyday life?
1. Go Outside and Stretch
If you are not moving in between buildings or even seeing the outside world when you are at work, you need to start taking 10 minutes out of your day to go outside and stretch. In a previous article you can read all about the benefits of stretching and why it is good for us! This is a wellness break that improves your body and your mind.
You get to step away from your work space, you get to feel the fresh air, and you get to move your body all at the same time.
2. Have A Wellness Day
This can work both virtually and in-person, but having a paid wellness day where employees can take a break and not feel penalized is a great employee incentive. Some ideas are: a cooking class, game day (video gaming or a board game), massage, company picnic, workouts and smoothies after, and so on. The ideas are unlimited as long as it benefits the mind and/or body. This is also a great way to incorporate team building into your office and to establish relationships. Virtual can be more difficult to achieve, but peak interest by drawing in incentives. If the employee stays for the entire wellness day, have them enter a drawing for a gift card.
3. A Break With Animals
Although it sounds like a crazy thing to do, bring animals into your workplace. Have a support dog or cat (depending on allergies) or even a fish tank. Have something that employees can turn to in order to take a break from their day. If your office is not comfortable in doing that, they can have a shelter bring in a group of dogs or cats in hopes to have them adopted. Have them in a room at the office and have employees rotate to play with the dogs and take a break! Therapy dogs in training are also known to come into offices and schools to raise awareness of their company and what they do. The options are endless to see cute animals!
4. Reduce Your Stress
Reducing your stress is vital. If you don’t, it can lead to burn out which can lead to serious complications like depression and anxiety. Everyone needs a wellness break. Even if you feel like you do not need it, you probably do. Taking 10-15 minutes out of your day to practice breathing will also help. You can do it in another room, in your car, or in the break room. Take the time to better yourself now so that you thrive in the long run. Realizing that your mental health matters is more important than any pay raise or any promotion. If you are in a constant state of stress, it will catch up. So take a minute now and breathe, your wellness matters.