I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.
Today’s tip is to walk away from your desk for 5 minutes. Find a quiet place and just be.
I struggle to take short breaks from my desk. I have no problem burning an hour at the gym, but taking 5 minutes mid morning or in the late afternoon is a struggle.
As I wrote this, I was in Santa Fe with my wife, working in our horse trailer.
I am taking some breaks to go film her competitions, but those are set events and it’s about a 5 minute walk, a 15-20 minute film, and then 5 minutes back. Good breaks, and I’m getting in some movement, but it’s not relaxing. I feel stressed to get back to work.
However, I saw this tip and decided to try it. I got up, walked outside, and just looked around at the Santa Fe day. This is the view just outside the door.
I decided to just come out a couple times today, stand here, enjoy the warm air, and just look around. No agenda, no purpose.
It was a nice break. We’ll see if I can do this more when I get home.