Everyone deserves to take five during the day - and it increases productivity. Here’s some ideas on how to quickly recharge without lighting up.
Whether working on a shop floor, in an office, in hospitality or any kind of shift work, cigarette breaks can be a part of the working culture.
One participant in a study in Scotland reported that after she began waitressing at 18, she was advised by a colleague: “Tell them you smoke. You’ll get more breaks.” Another said she had started “smoking more than ever” as respite from the boredom of her call centre job.
This perceived choice between continuing to work and taking a cigarette break is a false one: there are so many other ways to take a break that don’t involve smoking. So why does it exist?
Giving up smoking shouldn’t come with the added disincentive of giving up work breaks
Of course, there is smoking addiction. But compounding that there is also the unhelpful misconception that breaks in general are lazy and feckless.
When breaks are seen as a self-indulgence and we feel guilty about taking them, cigarettes can become a kind of justification, encouraging non-smokers to take up smoking, or facilitating people in increasing the amount they smoke already.
The sooner we get rid of that misconception the better. After all, studies have shown that breaks actually make workers more productive. We shouldn't have to resort to a habit that’s detrimental to our personal health in order to take some time out, and giving up smoking shouldn’t come with the added disincentive of giving up work breaks.
We’ve made five suggestions for ways to take a break that don’t involve smoking.
1. Chat to Someone You Otherwise Wouldn’t
Meet new people by engineering a way to chew the fat with someone you haven’t spoken to before. It might take a bit more bottle to get the chat going than the cigarette break, but having guts is rarely a bad thing. Plus, if it’s seen as a substitute of a cigarette break, you don’t need to feel guilty. It’s unrealistic to be expected to concentrate for eight hours straight a day, and a brief talk in real life is likely to make you feel a lot fresher than checking the usual WhatsApp group chats.
2. Make a Round of Teas
If you work in an office, then you may be aware that tea is a form of currency, and you can use it to buy good will. It might not sound like fun to spend your free time making Rod from accounts an Earl Grey, but it gets you away from the desk, away from a screen, and lets people know that you’re a decent person to have around. If you’re feeling flush, you might even nip out for some proper coffees.
3. Do a Plank
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment, historically, when plank became a verb, but it is one so we’d all better get used to it. Doing a plank is one of those surprisingly difficult physical challenges, like hanging from a pull-up bar for as long as possible. Essentially you have to lie in a press up position, still, with your forearms laid along the ground. Increase your time by 30 seconds every day and you’ll get a rush of endorphins and pride at your improvements, but be warned: you might need an appropriately private spot, or a gym, to do this one, as impulsive planking is yet to take off in society at large.
4. Clear Your Head with a Mindfulness App
Sure, mindfulness has been everywhere for the past few years, and if you haven’t yet buckled and downloaded an app like Headspace or Calm yet then you might find the idea corny or sanctimonious. But whether you use an app or just try it yourself, taking time out to be present and listen to your body and surroundings has a surprisingly powerful effect. Try an exercise like a body scan in the most serene space you can find, and observe the impact it may have on your body and mind.
Be present and listen to your body and surroundings
5. Go for a Little Walk
This is one of the simplest things you can do to clear your head. Go to a green space you’ve yet to explore, or a shop you’ve never been in. Avoid taking your phone, any music or True Crime podcasts or work worries, and you can enjoy the slow-burn of processing the day’s thoughts and emotions and tuning in to the world around you.
So-called mind-wandering has been shown to help the creative side of our thinking blossom, so even if you’re wary of stepping away from the desk it’s not a bad idea to step outside for a daydream when you can.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to spending your downtime, and even if none of these feels like your cup of tea there’s many other ways of occupying yourself and letting your thoughts run free.
With Britain set to be almost smoke-free by 2030 by some predictions, it’s high time we normalised the non-smoking break. Everyone — from seasoned smokers to people who have never lit a cigarette in their life — could benefit as a result
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