And It's Break Time, Folks!

All work and no play can bring a person’s stress level so high. True or false? Whether you’re in front of the computer for work in the office, lying down in your bedroom or surfing via 3G while on the road, it is very important to relax for a bit and take some time out. As a matter of fact, experts recommend taking a break of at least five minutes for stretching or doing recreational things every 45 minutes to help reduce stress.

Here are a few ticks and tricks on what you can read and visit to aid you as you slow down and chill out physically and mentally on a day-to-day basis.

WikiHow Exercises (bit.ly/WikiHowExercises)

This how-to website is very useful to most working employees, especially those who are sitting in front of the computer for several hours a day. It basically lists down steps as to how our bodies should be positioned properly during long hours of work. It also provides procedures on how to do simple stretches during small breaks, as well as warnings that we need to be on the lookout for.

Eye Strain (www.eye-strain.org)

When the eyes are strained from too much computer use, one can catch the Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) caused by decrease in blink rate. To aid you in understanding all about how to prevent, treat and veer away from the causes of eye strain, this simple blog teaches a couple of eye exercises that you can follow.

9Gag (www.9gag.com)

Just for fun, this website will surely tickle your senses and make you laugh. It basically contains images that range from safe to exotic ones, which are all contributed by members and readers alike. Here, you can sharpen your creativity skills and create your own fun portfolio for others to see.

Sporcle (www.sporcle.com)

A website filled with thousands of mentally stimulating games, you’d find yourself playing one puzzle to another here. It has a wide variety of choices, whether you want to play something that has to do with logos, music, geography, language, sports, and more. You’ll be amazed!

Fark (www.fark.com)

Drew Curtis’ creation doesn’t actually make news, but just mocks other websites. It’s sort of an aggregator of different sources around world, which can keep you abreast with the strangest (and sometimes not very safe for work) news. If you’re a reader, you’d love it here.

The Audiovisual Club (www.avclub.com)

As an entertainment portal, this website promises to give you your most needed pop culture break. It contains a collection of news, interviews, opinions and reviews of music, film, DVD, TV, books and more. You’d enjoy reading the articles as the website’s writers try to dissect parts and portions of whatever they can make use of, such as shows and series.

There you have it! Remember, taking breaks not only reduces stress but also lessens the chances of workplace injuries caused by repetitive actions. Take a break – it’s healthy for you and it surely helps.

This article is my 43^rd contribution to Manila Bulletin -- one of the Philippines' leading broadsheets -- published on November 21, 2011 (Monday) in the TechNews Section. You can view the PDF version here.


Photo Source: SunStar by Tony Padua