Recent scientific studies prove that mental acuity is just as dependent on physical exercise as it is on mind jogging. Daily office work offers a goodly number of easyto- execute options promoting staffers’ well-being within a few minutes. Our A.P.F.E.L. Strategy shows you specific invigorating and relaxing exercises at the desk, as well as guidance in installing mini-activities “on the side.” Here’s just one example: Printers should be installed in a separate room, compelling office staff to get up and retrieve their printouts. Also, a little miracle worker is the ten to fifteen-minute walk during lunch hour, clearing minds and relaxing bodies, invigorating them for the second half of the workday. A short walk is also the ideal refresher for computer-weary eyes.
This brings us directly to the next letter in the A.P.F.E.L. Strategy, namely P for Pauses. One of the most neglected aspects, pauses are often ‘forgotten’ or foregone due to a time crunch. Yet, we have all noticed how our effectiveness deteriorates when we can no longer concentrate. A full cup will not hold any more water, it simply overflows. At some point, we are so keyed up and overloaded that it’s useless to try and keep working, but we can’t relax at home, either.
“Studies show that short, recuperative phases in the course of a workday cannot be put off for later. ‘As fatigue increases throughout the day, we must also increase our efforts,’ psychologist Johannes Wendsche says, […] Which results in intensified exhaustion at the end of the day. A person working non-stop to get more done before she goes home, will most likely not be able to enjoy her evening, but can only lay on the sofa, fully depleted and […] in the long-term puts her health at serious risk.”[1]
It’s not about taking long breaks and losing touch with whatever it is you’re working on. Short regenerative pauses of two to five minutes are enough to refresh your concentration capacity. Do a few counter-balancing exercises or just open the office window and let in some fresh air.
An excerpt from the book “Leadership Is Not an Illusion – A wealth of adventure, experiences and stories to tell 20 years of consultancy practice” written by Gianni, Jan & Marcello Liscia, 2020
[1] zeit.de, Mach mal Pause / Take a break, 24.03.2011.
