It's not just for kids anymore. Take a desk break today and get outside: Companies around the country are offering afternoon exercise breaks to invigorate their employees. "After even a few minutes of physical activity, people are more energetic," says Toni Yancey, M.D., of the UCLA school of Public health. Plus, it stimulates clearer thinking, helps people strategically solve problems, and lifts moods.
Tomorrow's challenge: Red Alert.
Yesterday's challenge: Read Across America. Pledge past challenges here.
From: Lisa Kenny | 3/3/11 at 11:01 am
I work mainly from home, and have to say that my creativity is higher and my stress level is much lower, and it's mainly because of my mid afternoon walks with the dogs.
Whenever I have a stressful situation, get stuck creatively, or start getting too tired to concentrate, I go out and walk a lap or two around the 4 acre yard with my yellow lab, beagle and westie. I go back to work refreshed, relaxed, and ready to work!
When I am stuck in an all day meeting in an office somewhere, its very hard to "escape" like this, but I take one of the breaks to go walk around the block or check out the gardens, just get some fresh air and a different perspective for awhile.
When teaching a class, I also have people take a break every hour for about 5 minutes to walk, talk, whatever they want to do. This helps dramatically in what is recalled by the attendees.
From: Mary Jean Hamdi | 3/3/11 at 1:02 pm
I pledged to take a break and walk so I decided to go home (which is right across the street from the school I teach in)on my 4:OO break.I wanted to eat some yogurt. As I was crossing the school's open courtyard I saw one of our pupils, about 17 years old, climbing the flag pole. He looked like he was fooling around, yelling and attracting the other kids' attention. That's dangerous but not something I could talk him out of so I turned. Suddenly the whole student body screamed in unison, the boy on the flag pole lit himself on fire and fell. Pandemonium broke out and a mob of about 300 screaming and yelling kids managed to put out the fire and pick up the boy and spirit him out of the school to a nearby hospital. Evidently he's ok, but the school closed for the afternoon and soldiers are guarding it.
From: Linda L. | 3/4/11 at 2:23 pm
@Mary Jean - Wow, this certainly brings home that things aren't as 'neat & tidy' as some of what we see in the media! I hope the boy is alright and will be thinking of you.