Creating Revitalizing ‘Breaks’ :: Corporate Work Life Hacks

Do you ever feel imprisoned or trapped (like, physically) by the confines of your J.O.B.?

I might be a little extreme on this, but almost every day I want to stand up and say, “Really? Am I really meant to sit here engaged with this computer for THIS many hours… in-a-row?!” I want to get up. I want to sigh really loudly. I want to let go. I want relief and release, and there just isn’t an avenue for this in our ‘modern’ corporate work experience.

Disclaimer – I totally believe in working for a living. I love being a productive contributor; I have worked since age 14, and have no problem putting in 50+ hours for my employer, and then several more for LivingBluPrints.

I just think our modern corporate structure is super flawed in that it doesn’t consider all aspects of what you and I need to thrive. The effects of the commute (and/or demanding travel schedules), sitting on our bums, staring at glaring screens with small print, getting home famished, not having time for JOY-> the effects of all lead to a lower quality of life.

I am on a mission to hack the system.

I love the European model. I love that Italians shut everything down around lunch time – that they head home, eat a real meal, and maybe even take a nap (revolutionary, eh?) – then return to work a bit later.

Many Americans are now creating their own work/life model. The rise of the solopreneur is reminiscent of pre-industrial days – times where most worked for themselves, or within very small enterprise. The solopreneur is not working fewer hours than the traditional corporate soldier, but he or she can enjoy incredible freedom -> I’ve been told by more than one! (<- perhaps topic for a future post)

So, great for Europeans and solopreneurs.

How do the rest of us achieve the respite and the needed ‘productive’ revitalizing ‘break’ within the confines of the corporate space?!

We need a shift too! We need to feel like our human selves too! I have to be honest and say I don’t have a ton of great advice here… this is where I would love YOUR input. Help me and help others by indicating what you do to create your JoyMent, (your positive restorative moment), your relief/release in the midst of the 9-5 (or in my case, the 8:30-5:30)?

Aside – I was interviewing a woman from a local association and they have a Healing Committee – isn’t that the greatest? They also have a ‘Chill Zone‘ – I know more and more environments are bringing this stuff in – it needs to be everywhere AND we need to take advantage!

Ways we’ve approached the need for relief, Traditionally (though not always healthily):

• smoking – gets one out of the space and one can often ‘hide’ behind a building even; there is something private about stealing away for a smoke break
• snacking – salty or sweet – depending on your preference, there were years I relied on something sweet to ‘get me through’ the frustration of the afternoon hours. And oh, my goodness, the amount of crap I ate getting myself through college!
• interrupting a co-worker – taking a break by chatting someone up; this can be bad if it goes on for too long, but certainly ok if only done for a reasonable time…AND the other person is not burdened by it
• Facebooking, surfing the web, other online distractions – I feel these are a little like TV – I am not often in a ‘better’ place to ‘return to work’ when I have wandered here
• grabbing a coffee – I am mixed on this; I enjoy coffee, but it can be overdone and potentially be a needless expense
• getting to the bar – as soon as possible – post work. I love me a good drink, but really? I don’t want to rely on this every night, and it doesn’t bode well in terms of setting me up for the next day, or any fitness schedule, etc.

We do the above because we need a shift. We need to get up, get into a new mind space, and for me, to regain a little sense of control.

Positive (?) Work Life Hacks – For Corporate Space Mind-shifts

• taking a short walk – this works for a few of my co-workers. It’s not awesome for me, and I think it’s due to my introverted nature (and sometimes, the weather). I’m ‘on’ (forced extroversion) at my desk. I want for my break to allow me to be ‘off’ and I don’t have a sense of ‘off’ walking the streets downtown (avoiding tourists, crossing streets every few seconds, navigating cobblestone and brick surfaces)
• singing! – someone make this happen for me, please! I want a program for ‘open singing’ in my building!!
• meditation – this is something that might actually work for me/my set up. I cannot reveal here how I am making it happen (one needs a private location) – but if you have access to any space where you can be alone and feel safe I highly recommend meditating. If you drive to work, go to your car. Just get away – there are a ton of great apps that will guide and play soft music!
• praying – similar to the above, you might channel your intentions through something more formally religious. You might even have a church nearby! I’m tellin’ ya, the quiet of a church can be incredibly calming.

WHAT else? Tell me a specific way you’ve successfully garnered a second in your own mind to be able to clear it, shift it, or regain control.

Linda Stacy, Productivity Speaker, Writer, and Coach, inspires her clients to achieve increased fulfillment, engagement, and success by way of energy management and the *brass tacks* of healthy, efficient productivity and time management.

Image is book cover mock-up; VERY exciting!