Ways to Spend Me Time

Your days are hectic. The number of things you try to get done and the number of places you try to go is draining, and while you’ve mastered the art of being in five places at once, it’s still an exhausting schedule.

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We’d like to present you one of our favorite ways to curtail the stress that comes with having a full day every day. By taking a 15-minute break three times a day each workday, you can refresh yourself, refocus, and enhance your productivity while reducing your stress throughout the week.

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What should you do during those 15 minutes? Surely not just sit in a chair and stare at ceiling tiles, right? Well, you could do that, or you could follow any of these five suggestions.

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Learn something

Pick a topic that's always piqued your interest, and devote your 15-minute breaks to learning about it. Always thought interior design was cool, but never bothered to learn more? Take 15 minutes to read about it. Who knows? Maybe you'll find your new passion. You'll surprise yourself with how quickly you can learn something you love. There are endless articles on the internet about pretty much everything. You could even read a book—yes, books still exist.

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Play a phone game

Your phone isn’t really a phone anymore. It’s more of a handheld computer in this day and age, and there are 80 bazillion applications you can download to it with one click. Find something that looks fun, whether it be a puzzle game or a jokes app or whatever. There is something on there that can distract you for 15 minutes three times a day, and that’s a healthy distraction. It’ll help you refocus and prepare to get back to whatever you’re working.

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Play a real game

If you work in an office, you probably have some form of entertainment available to you during breaks. At Second Nature, we have a ping pong table, and it's an easy and fun way to refocus quickly. A short card game is a good alternative is your office doesn’t have a sweet table tennis setup. If nobody is available to play a few hands, you could always learn solitaire.

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Check your social media

Open up Facebook and take a peek at what your friends, family, and favorite air filter subscription service are up to. Or maybe open up Twitter and see what kind of randomness a bunch of people you’ve never met are tweeting. Social media can certainly cause issues when overused, but it can work quite well as a momentary relief from daily stress.

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Go for a stroll

Taking a 15-minute walk is a great way to clear your head and discover some clarity. Some people might want to busy themselves with something else, but for those that just want to focus on nothing, a walk is a great choice. If you can, take your walk outside. You'll quickly see how much it will boost your productivity, energy, and even creativity.

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Whatever you choose, just make sure you spend your break doing something that you enjoy. A moment to do nothing or turn your attention to something you enjoy is usually all it takes. Remember that while it may seem like that time could be better spent getting stuff done, that couldn't be farther from the truth. By recollecting yourself, you’re actually getting more done by not frying your brain. Let us know on Facebook how you take "me time."