Putting your feet up for Five Minutes

Posted on Jun 08 in Featuredby QV SkincarePrint

Ever heard of it? Or do you believe in working yourself to the bone and then resting?

Do you feel that the day is not long enough for the work you have to do and that taking a breather is just impossible?

But start thinking differently or you may find yourself heading for a heart attack or stroke. There was a friend of mine who had an aunt who was bubbly and active. But she worked too hard and one day, she had a heart attack. Now she has to be careful of her every move.

Why wait for bad things to happen? Health is wealth and the ideal is ‘mens sana in corpore sano”(a healthy mind in a healthy body)!

But how can this be achieved?

You need to balance your mind, your body and your feelings. If your job calls for a lot of physical activity, squeeze in the time for a rest for your arms and legs. Or vice versa…if your job requires you to sit put and use your brain cells, then find the time to stretch your legs.

My former boss used to have what he called “A Post-Prandial Nap” after his lunch in office. He would lean back in his chair and put his legs up on the table and go to sleep.

Of course, you can’t put your feet up on the desk in every office. My boss was a law unto himself and he was privileged as he was Associate Editor.

But metaphorically speaking, every office employee should put his or her feet up for at least five to ten minutes in order to unwind.

You come into office at nine o’clock and the work piles up. You keep handling files all day with just a break for lunch. Sometimes, you don’t stop for lunch but continue working while munching a cheese and tomato sandwich.

They say that you get killed if you work in the Private Sector and this may be true. But remember that your office won’t have time for you if you happen to fall ill. They will simply advertise, replace you, tie a knot and go on. So it’s up to you to look after your health and well-being.

You have to be alert while at work and taking a break is important to keep fresh.

Just say “Yes” to your boss and then come back to your desk and relax. If you like, put your phone off the hook for just five minutes and sit back and close your eyes!

Do try to forget all your cares(office and home) and just let your mind go blank. This is therapeutic as well for your heart can stop beating too fast as it does when you work too hard.

But watch out…don’t allow yourself to daydream for too long. Just a short break is all you can afford to take. Fifteen minutes is the longest you allow yourself and then, hey presto, back to the daily grind!

Or if your job entails sitting behind a desk all day, get up and take a walk. No, don’t stop to speak to a colleague but just keep stretching your legs for exercise. If nobody’s looking, raise your arms above your head and then pump them up and down. Can you feel your body getting a new lease of life?

Go to the window and breathe in some fresh air. Feel invigorated as you come back to the workload on your desk.

Is yours a competitive office with hardly any time to talk to anyone? Is each employee shut up in a cubicle with glass frontage preventing privacy? Then taking a break means going across to talk to a colleague. You could talk about the weather or a mutual friend( not in office). Just break the ice for five minutes and then smile and come back to your seat feeling relieved.

The main thing is to change your workstyle to give yourself a break!

This also applies to your emotions. Are you driven by fear to perform? Do you aim for perfection? Are you sometimes panic-stricken? Learn to recognize and handle your feelings, both positive and negative. Switch off from fear and tension and tell yourself, “It’s not a matter of life and death. It’s just a job and I clock off at five pm”.

However much you may feel that you are indispensable, don’t let your job take over your life! Put your feet up for five minutes and get a sense of perspective! Good luck and take care!

Daily Mirror.com: Putting Your Feet Up For Five Minutes