Guide to Escaping Your Cubicle During the Work Day

Taking short breaks during your work day has long been advocated by the medical profession. Taking breaks is also one of the facets of the Work-Life theory. Among the benefits of taking several 5-15 minute breaks throughout the day:

1. Increased productivity and efficiency - you will actually get more done at work if you take breaks than if you take none at all.

2. Lowered blood pressure - the Mayo clinic recommends taking breaks for deep-breathing exercises.

3. Reduced stress - studies show that just a few minutes away from your computer significantly lowers stress, which will make your immune system happy.

4. Decreased chance of getting heart disease - work stress has been linked to heart disease, and taking frequent breaks alleviates stress.

5. Increased energy levels - some studies indicate that a short cat nap or walk around the block is more effective than a shot of espresso.

6. Reduced chance of getting Repetitive Stress Syndrome - the more often you allow yourself to get up and stretch, the less likely you are to get carpal or worse.

7. Reduced eye strain - give your eyes something else to focus on besides your computer screen.

But how can you make your escape when one of the unspoken rules of the office is that only slackers unstick themselves from their desks, even for lunch? It's a well-known fact that in today's office world, long hours hunched over computer screens are rewarded, even if that behavior hurts the bottom line.

Here are a few tricks you can use to give yourself some much-needed time away from the computer screen.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Schedule your next meeting outside the office

Planning an off-site meeting can be as simple as rounding up the troops and leading them to the patio or garden outside your building. When you schedule your meeting on Outlook, surprise everyone by using the bakery down the street as the meeting room. Nobody really likes meetings - why not ease the pain with a little fresh air?

I recommend: Go to EffectiveMeetings.com, which totes off-site meetings as a great way to spark creativity and increase productivity. Entrepreneur.com has a feature article on off-site meetings entitled "Take a Hike." Experts agree that the benefits of escaping the office for meetings are numerous. Small business can get away with a simple off-site meeting, while large enterprises can benefit from companies like Benchmark Hospitality, which schedules meetings in upscale, luxury resorts. 

Take a coffee break and ask your coworkers or employees if they'd like anything

An estimated 77% of Americans drink coffee and chances are you and your employees are part of that demographic. Whether you want to go to a chain coffee shop or just to the communal kitchen, taking coffee breaks is the American way.

I recommend: When you take your coffee break, ask a colleague if they'd like anything, or, better yet, if they want to join you on your caffeine hunt. Jicaw.com, a website on work-life balance, has a great article entitled "Soothe Your Soul With a Coffee Break." The folks at Tech Law Advisor Media think that 30 Boxes is a good calendar tool for scheduling coffee and other types of breaks at work.

Instead of writing an email, talk to the recipient face to face or over the phone

Today's office environment requires less face time because of the phone, PDAs, IM chat programs and, of course, email. Before you hit send on your email to the colleague who works just a few cubicles away, think about just walking over there and talking to them instead. You can get some good stretching in while you're at it.

I recommend: The article "Stop E-Mailing and Start Talking: Tips for Effective Communication" goes in-depth into the average person's fears of face-to-face talking. No one is suggesting doing away with email altogether, but taking a short break to talk shop with your coworker might be just the thing you both need instead of a long email string. Go to eHow for an article about beating a mid-afternoon slump, which includes the advice to hand-deliver documents or make a phone call instead of an email. A phone call to your coworker can give your eyes a little rest if you really can't leave your cube.

Sneak in some exercise during the day

Setting up your default printer on the other side of the building, taking the long way to the restroom, parking a few blocks away from the office and taking the stairs instead of the elevator are all little things you can do that will go a long way to improving your health and giving you a break that doesn't look like a break.

I recommend: "5 Ways to Exercise at Work" on Associated Content gives some great advice for getting out of your cubicle. Get a free trial of Stretch at Work, a program that teaches 60 stretching exercises. Check out this poster on stretching exercises from CoolSafetyProducts.com.

Schedule your breaks like you schedule your meetings

There are several software applications that will give you reminders to step away from the computer. Always keep your health in mind before you hit the ignore button on your reminder to leave your cubby.

I recommend: Break Reminder is a software program you can download to schedule in your breaks. Read WorkPace's guide to avoiding Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI), and the importance of taking breaks. The guide lists more than a dozen well-known academic references to back up its information.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Don't abuse your right to take breaks - you don't want to be the worker who's always wandering the halls while the rest of the office wonders when you have the time to work when it seems like you're always "on a break."