Spending long hours at work in the same position usually has serious consequences for the health of the back, from the cervical to the lumbar, so it is advisable that you do not forget to take numerous active breaks at work during the day. Just five minutes will be enough if you know how to exercise the most controversial areas.
Do you want to know about occupational health and hygiene to avoid the most common pains? Stay reading this post until the end!
What are active breaks at work and why are they so important?
When we talk about resting at work, we do not necessarily mean going for a coffee or going to the bathroom, it can also be used to move, get the blood circulating and get the muscles activated, in short: taking a break from being sitting.
Rest during working hours is so important that the Workers’ Statute itself, in art. 34, establishes that, if the duration of the daily work day is continuous and exceeds 6 hours, the worker will enjoy a break or rest period of no less than 15 minutes and it is a mandatory rest. Of course, short breaks to rest your eyes must be added to this.
Did you know the concept of “technical” rest times?
These breaks are contemplated by the prevention of occupational risks and are mandatory, although each agreement manages them in a different way. These breaks consist of five minutes of disconnection for each hour of effective work in front of the screen; and cannot be accumulated. Furthermore, did you know that on a psychological level, active breaks increase the capacity for self-control, reducing anxiety, stress, aggression and depression? They also manage to stimulate creativity, and emotional capacity and improve memory.
Mainly for these reasons, human resources recommends all workers to take these periodic breaks. Dare to implement them in your company!
Write down the following examples of active breaks at work and improve your health on a daily basis
There are many ways to take active breaks, and below we are going to give you some ideas to get you started on your routine today.
Breathing exercises: These consist of inhalation and exhalation techniques that help you relax and improve concentration. With them, you will see a significant improvement in your stress levels.
Stretches: these are gentle movements that improve muscle flexibility and reduce accumulated tension, ideal for avoiding back and neck pain. They can be performed sitting or standing, and cover different parts of the body such as the neck, arms, back and legs.
Going up and down stairs: If your workplace is large, avoid using the elevator, instead take the stairs. Thus, you will accumulate daily steps, activate your metabolism, add energy expenditure and activate the circulation of your legs.
Short walks: Walking for a few minutes helps clear the mind and improve blood circulation. This is a good one for workers who spend many hours sitting in front of the computer.
Perform 10 squats: Every time you go to the bathroom, challenge yourself to perform ten squats to tone your glutes and legs. In addition, you will reactivate your cardiovascular system.
Perform joint mobility exercises: joint mobility is an aspect of physical health to which we must pay special attention. As we age, joints lose their natural movement and cartilage wears out, which is why we must include mobility exercises in our routine.
Relaxation activities: include techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, visualization, or progressive muscle relaxation, which reduce anxiety and stress and also improve sleep quality.
To finish, we give you 4 super simple exercises to practice joint mobility
- Move your head up and down by flexing and extending your neck.
- Make head movements in a circular manner.
- Raise your shoulders and move them back and forth.
- Stretch your arms crosswise and make circular movements back and forth
As you can see, it is very easy to take active breaks at work, you just have to propose it. There are also many other options, such as walking around the building or others that come to mind. You can take it as a game or one more step towards acquiring new healthy habits.
Do you want to know more about occupational health and ORP? Subscribe to Educa.Pro and stay up to date on the most disruptive changes that will propel work teams to the next level.