The need to ensure you take breaks throughout the day is an essential strategy in self care. I love referring to them as bio-breaks because they are all centred around your body’s basic needs. Working in an office it is often hard to disconnect and take that time. Working a job where your breaks are scheduled, you are often rushing to get just the basics done. Remote workers may sometimes lack the structure to take proper breaks too. Until you develop the habit, schedule breaks into your day to aid your health.

Bathroom

Often this is what most people refer to as a bio-break, but it is neglected and seen as a nuisance. We often push this to the last minute, causing unnecessary strain on our system. Not going to the bathroom for extended periods of time can have serious consequences down the road. Once you look at it as an essential part of a healthy life, you will prioritize your body.

Eat

Ensuring you take time to nourish your body will reap the rewards for both your body and your brain. You’ll feel stronger to tackle the challenges and won’t be fatigued by the end of the day. Ensuring you choose nutritious snacks and meals is key to succeeding. Spend some time planning your food intake for the week on the weekend before you go grocery shopping. This ensures you pick healthier choices and provide your body with the right fuel to get you through the week.

Drink

Ensuring proper fluid intake is one of the most overlooked elements of self care. Ensuring the proper amount of water to help you flush everything through your system is the best change you can do if you are not already a fan. Try and consume fluids throughout the day. I start and end the day with a full glass and aim to have at least a sip of water hourly to ensure I am not dehydrating. I have found with a consistent conscious effort, I can consume the minimum recommended amount. Limit caffeine as it is a diuretic and can make you feel more stressed. This was one of the hardest habits for me to break. But if I want a cup in the afternoon, I switch to decaf. And I ensure to ingest an extra glass of water to make up for it.

Fresh Air & Sunshine

Getting a breath of fresh air can wake you up! And give you that second wind to push through that tough job you’ve spent hours working on. Even if you just get 5 minutes here, 5 minutes there, it will have a positive impact on your mental well-being. Office spaces tend to be stuffy. With winter’s sub-zero temperatures, we won’t be opening our windows for the breeze to come through. So getting outside for a few breaths is important. Having clean air at home is also essential for you to get optimal oxygenation. Invest in a few plants if you don’t have any to get the best air quality possible. Getting a few minutes of sunshine on your skin will help increase your Vitamin D. This leads to less aches, less inflammation, less illness, and better sleep.

Stretch

Often when doing a desk job, the posture is the hardest thing to maintain. For many the challenge is having proper ergonomics so there has been an increase in back pain, headaches, and overall discomfort. To offset poor habits of posture and/or lack of adequate equipment, take a few minutes to stretch your body daily. Don’t forget to stretch your eyes as well if your work is heavily based on screens. Eye strain can lead to sore, dry eyes, headaches, and eye styes have skyrocketed.

Move

Getting a few steps in over lunch, before work, and after work all contribute to a healthier body and peaceful thoughts. Even if you can’t get out for a short walk, break out the tunes. Dance for a couple of songs to have a little bit of fun. Moving all of your joints will help keep them lubricated. It also helps remove the strain from certain muscles that get used more while doing your job.

Breathe

Often when working, we forget to be self-aware of our breath. Stress can trigger shallow breathing. This in turn becomes a cyclical pattern of reduced oxygen that leads to more stress on the lungs, and we often cycle there for hours. Take a few moments throughout the day to take a few deep breathes. This will open up your airways, resulting not only in increasing your oxygen intake, but it will also help calm your mind. This will enable you to keep tackling your responsibilities.

Gratitude

Remember to be gracious for what you have in your life. Take a moment to write down at least one, but aim for three things you are grateful for at the end of your day. This helps you wrap-up the day on a positive note. It can also help you plan your successes for the next day if you didn’t quite meet your goals for today. Having a mental focus on the good outcomes, regardless of scale, helps you develop a positive mindset. Additionally, it helps you have closure from work life to home life.

Have you taken your bio-breaks today?

The kindest thing you can do for yourself is to ensure you take bio-breaks throughout the day. You just need brief moments throughout the day to get them in, all it takes is a conscious effort. If it’s hard to remember, start by using an alarm to remind you, it gets easier as you practice. Bio-breaks are an essential self care tool that will support your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.

IMAGE CREDIT: Pixabay | Jill Wellington.