Brain Break

Photo by Robert Bye on Unsplash.

The Center for Student Affairs (CSA) initiated Brain Break two school years ago during the finals week of the first semester. It was a hit, so the second semester ended with the same brain-relaxing activities.

Brain Break aims to help students learn self-care and positive coping skills when dealing with stress. Drinks and treats were given for free. Board games, interactive toys, and coloring materials were made available. De-stress challenges were presented. Inspirational quotes and prayers were written on rolled-up strips of paper. A freedom wall was even put up. When students were asked if Brain Break was helpful, a combined 601 ‘yes’ votes were tallied at the end of the school year. Ten said ‘no.’

Here are some of the students’ comments:

• Students really need a little space in school to relax (other than Stella O! Haha!), and this little space in Prom B allows the students to find a little breathing space during hell week.
• Really helpful! I felt like UA&P not only cares about my academic achievements but also about my emotional and mental health.
• It validates my stress, and it shows that somebody cares.
• It saves our remaining brain cells and brings out hope that everything is going to be better at the end of the exams.
• It lets me catch up with my friends after prolonged studying.
• I love this. Thank you po.
• This is so cool.
• Wow, really? This is free? This is so great!
• Will you do this every finals week?
• Wow, that’s so crazy! Can I take a picture?
• The prayer helps a lot.
• Great! I need a break! I have too many papers.

Why We Need to Take Breaks

1. Psychological detachment, which refers to mentally disengaging from work thoughts (Sonnentag & Fritz, 2007), helps us to directly reduce work demands that are causing fatigue and to naturally recover (Meijman & Mulder, 2013). Some types of breaks help us to avoid these work-related thoughts better than others (Glynn, Christenfeld, & Gerin, 2002). Examples of detachment activities are walking or strolling, playing a game, and helping someone.
2. When we are stressed out, our ability to connect is undermined. According to Gunther (2014), prolonged stress diminishes our capacity to feel through the senses which affect our emotional availability. She added, “Stressed out people forget how to love or allow love to penetrate their preoccupied and pressured world.” This affects not only the person but also his or her relationships.
3. Movement breaks can serve as a creative fuel. Physical activity helps increase blood flow to areas of the brain that are necessary for focus and attention. A change of scenery can also give us fresh perspective and insight whenever we feel lacking in an idea or stuck with what we do.
4. Napping breaks can improve learning and memory. Studies show that napping for 10 minutes can make us more alert, and that napping for 25 to 30 minutes aids in memory and learning ability (Tietzel and Lack, 2002).

When to Take Breaks

• Take a 5-10 minute break for every 20-30 minutes of work. A study conducted by Atsunori and Lleras (2010) found out that a person starts to perform poorly on a task because he or she has stopped paying attention to it. The brain gradually stops registering a sight, sound, or feeling if that stimulus remains constant over time. The body becomes “habituated” to the feeling, and the stimulus no longer registers in any meaningful way in the brain. As a result, the two proposed to take brief mental breaks (twice for a one-hour work).
• Use the pomodoro technique. First, work for 25 minutes (this is called a pomodoro), then take a short break (usually 5 minutes.). Repeat it four times, and after your fourth 25-minute pomodoro, take a 15-minute break. Pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato. The developer of this technique used a tomato-shaped timer when he was a student. (http://blog.hathix.com/2011/10/get-stuff- done-with-the-pomodoro-technique/)
• Lavie, Zomer, and Gopher (1995) discovered in their research about ultradian rhythms that for better productivity, work in 90-minutes spurts and have a break for 20 minutes. (https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/aca6/9a8a32bb282aae5cd91a16b5d02c77876f7b.pdf)
• A social media company tracked their 40,000 users and found out that a 17-minute break every 52 minutes is the sweet spot for productivity. (https://www.fastcompany.com/3035605/the-exact- amount-of-time-you-should-work-every-day)

 

References:

Atsunori A. & Lleras, A. (2010). Brief and rare mental ‘breaks’ keep you focused: Deactivation and reactivation of task goals preempt vigilance decrements. Cognition, 2011; DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2010.12.007. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110208131529.htm

Cheng, D., & Wang, L. (2015). Examining the energizing effects of humor: The influence of humor on persistence behavior. Journal of Business and Psychology, 30(4), 759-772.

Fritz, C., Lam, C. F., & Spreitzer, G. M. (2011). It’s the little things that matter: An examination of knowledge workers’ energy management. The Academy of Management Perspectives, 25(3), 28-39.

Glynn L. M., Christenfeld M., & Gerin W. (2002). The role of rumination in recovery from reactivity: cardiovascular consequences of emotional states. Psychosomatic Medicine, 64(7), 14-26.

Gunther, R. (2014). How Stress Can Bury Love The Way Back. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rediscovering-love/201411/how-stress-can-bury-love-the- way-back

Lavie, P., Zomer, J. & Gopher, D. (1995). Ultradian Rhythms in Prolonged Human Performance. Institute of Technology Haifa, Israel: ARI Research Note 95-30. Retrieved from: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/aca6/9a8a32bb282aae5cd91a16b5d02c77876f7b.pdf

Mills, H., Reiss, N. & Dombeck, M. (2008). Socialization and Altruistic Acts as Stress Relief. Retrieved from: https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/socialization-and-altruistic-acts-as-stress-relief/

Tietzel, A.J. & Lack, L.C (2002). The recuperative value of brief and ultra-brief naps on alertness and cognitive performance. Journal of Sleep Research. 2002 Sep;11(3):213-8. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12220317