25 Ways to Spend Your Next Pomodoro Break

So you’ve jumped on board with the Pomodoro technique and you are easing into the routine of working for 25 minutes followed by a five-minute break. But as those breaks emerge, you aren’t always sure how to spend them to best use your decompression time. We’ve put together a list of 25 break ideas for your next five minutes. Here’s to your healthy productivity!

Experience Some Exercise

  1. Take a walk. (preferably outside, but around the office is okay too)
  2. There are stretches you can do while seated, but try to stand up for a few.
  3. Practice yoga. Five minutes allows you enough time for to cycle through a few poses.
  4. Give yourself a hand or neck massage. Just a little kneading can soothe sore muscles.
  5. Do a workout routine. There are plenty of videos offering great five minute workouts.

Spread a Little Kindness

  1. Recommend two of your favorite professional contacts on LinkedIn. It won’t take long
  2. Text a parent, spouse, child, or friend to tell them you love them. A small but powerful gesture.
  3. Do the work dishes. Everyone will be pleasantly surprised. Just don’t make it a habit or you’ll be taken advantage of.
  4. Write a thank you note to someone you appreciate. It’ll brighten their day.
  5. Offer to refill a coworker’s coffee or water. You’ll quench their thirst and make them smile.

Strive for Mindfulness

  1. Go outside and breathe. Even just a few minutes in the sunshine will improve your outlook and help you get much-needed vitamin D.
  2. Do something artistic. Even if it’s a silly drawing or an impromptu poem.
  3. Play an app like Duolingo or Luminosity. Learning a new language or training your brain can give you a cognitive boost.
  4. Read an article or two in your Pocket. If you don’t use an app, just visit your bookmarks and find a blog you’ve been wanting to catch up on.
  5. Watch the intro to a late night news/comedy show for a quick news recap and laugh.

Don’t Forget Nutrition

  1. Cut up an apple with peanut butter for a quick, fresh protein boost.
  2. Munch on some nuts for an energy burst.
  3. Snack on some dried fruit for a sweet treat.
  4. Grab a protein bar to get you through the afternoon.
  5. Dip fresh veggies in hummus for a healthy but satisfying snack.

Embrace Productivity

  1. Make a few copies to get ahead for the week.
  2. Organize your desk to minimize clutter and decrease stress.
  3. Organize your smartphone. Take time to delete apps you don’t use, export your photos to the cloud, and move apps in folders.
  4. Spend a few minutes renaming and organizing computer files.
  5. Clean out your email inbox to reduce distraction next time you log in.

Try alternating fun activities with more productive but still “off task” break choices. Although it may be tempting to skip a break if you’re extremely focused or to prolong a break if you aren’t feeling motivated to go back, we recommend you stick to the Pomodoro technique. Over time, you’ll adapt to the work/break sequence and you’ll be more productive and achieve a healthier balance as a result. Okay, that was a nice reading break. Now it’s time to get back to work!

In our most recent issue of Change Creator Magazine with Neil Patel, we outline several more productivity tips in our Mind. Body. Success. section. You can check it out with a free trial for a month when you subscribe.

Taking steps to constantly take care of your mind and body is essential to success as an entrepreneur and life.

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