15 Ways to Use a 5-Minute Break

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

What do we do when we are in a traffic jam, waiting for an order in a restaurant or sitting in line? That's right: we take out smartphones and check mail or open the news feed.

Neither the first nor the second brings either joy or benefit. But we are not giving up. Why? Psychologists see the reason for the fact that in the 21st century, e-mail and social networks are the leading channels of communication. Suddenly the world has comprehended the apocalypse, and I still do not know?

Here's an alternative - 15 Ways to Have a Really Productive 5-Minute Break.

1. Work on Bucket List

The Bucket List is a list of things to do in life (remember the movie "Haven't played in the box yet"?). Making such a list is not only fun (when was the last time you asked yourself, “What do I want?”), But also useful, because dreams tend to turn into plans.

2. Listen to your favorite music

Let it be, What a Wonderful World or Is This Love - do you have a favorite song? Listen to it the next time you ride the elevator (headphones will save those around you from culture shock). These 3-5 minutes will give you a positive charge for the next few hours.

3. See your favorite photos

Another way to charge the internal battery of goodness is to look through your favorite photos. Here's a little boy smeared with porridge, but you and a friend are at the rink. Photos are memories, they take us back to the best moments of life and inspire new achievements.

4. Read

Many people like to read in a relaxed atmosphere at a specially allotted time. But you can do this anywhere (we look through the mail). Download a good book to your phone and read 1-2 pages every time you have a free minute. Too little to focus and delve into the story? Try short stories or poetry.

5. Watch instructional videos

Another way to get a little smarter is to watch YouTube videos not for jokes, but for really useful videos (don't forget about headphones!). For example, microlectures of the "Khan Academy" (mathematics, history, physics, biology, computer science - everyone will find something of their own).

6. Write SMS

Short text messages a la “Hello! How are you? almost vulgar today. Probably because they are often written by people who really do not care about you and the state of your affairs. But you take and write to a really close person - a friend, spouse or mom. Wish them a good day or tell them how much you love them.

7. Write letters

An institute friend has a birthday soon, and you will probably forget to congratulate him, getting busy? Write congratulations as you slowly move to the checkout in the hypermarket (most email services allow you to send "letters to the future"). A couple of sentences, five minutes - and the person will be pleased.

8. Keep a diary

Seriously. So what if you are an adult uncle (or auntie) with a bunch of problems? Psychologists have proven that splashing out internal experiences on paper (or into a smartphone) reduces stress and helps to put things in order in life.

9. Warm up

A straight back, a deep breath, circular movements of the head … A five-minute break is an excellent excuse to stretch your body, stiff from sitting at the computer.

10. Exercise

From warm-up to more serious exercise. Do push-ups, squats, or swing your biceps (a roll of paper works as a dumbbell) while you wait 5-10 minutes for the meeting to begin.

11. Take care of your eyesight

How many hours a day do you spend in front of a computer monitor or buried in a mobile gadget? This is a serious strain on the eyes. Don't make your vision even worse by doing the same during breaks. Better to do palming and other exercises to improve vision.

12. Plan

Study your work calendar, make a to-do list. It may even help you carve out some free time (for example, if you group some things or meetings).

13. Make a personal to-do list

We are scrupulous about work matters, but not about personal ones. That is why it is important to maintain a to-do list, which will collect tasks aimed at personal growth (“read Marquez,” “sign up for the pool,” and so on). Taking the subway is a great opportunity to compile such a list.

14. Take pictures

Pillar. What could be more boring than this subject? But, standing at a bus stop waiting for the bus, try to look at it differently: for example, through a camera lens. Take a few shots, each time trying to show the post (trash can, bush, billboard) from an unusual side. Learn the basics, experiment with angles and lighting (this is how Instagram “masterpieces” are born).

15. Draw

Even if you don't know how. Just take out your notebook, pen and let your imagination run wild. Drawing is one of the creative secrets of Leonardo da Vinci. The great artist and scientist thus developed the imagination.

What do you do to keep yourself from getting bored during short breaks?