There is a data showing that time outdoors, among the trees and the chirping birds, can improve both your mental and emotional state.
The ideal break would be to leave your phone behind and join a friend on a short walk outdoors, perhaps through a park.
Another great restorative activity is the good old-fashioned nap. Now, you might be thinking that this is not for you because naps leave you feeling groggy. But this is likely because your nap was too long. Anything over 20 minutes can cause “sleep inertia,” which is just a scientific way of saying groggy.
The perfect nap is anywhere from 10- to 20-minutes long, a period of time shown to provide the napper with three hours of improved focus and a higher capacity for retaining information. And believe it or not, studies have shown that a quick cup of coffee before your nap can give you an even better boost.
Since caffeine takes 20 minutes to enter the bloodstream and start working its magic, it’s actually perfect for incorporating into a well-timed nap. Known as the napuccino, this involves drinking your coffee, setting your timer for 20 minutes, which takes into account the average 7 minutes it takes to fall asleep, and then waking up ready to take on the world.
4 Steps to Reaganing* via the Nappuccino
1.Drink a cup of coffee, black tea or espresso. Aim for 100mg of caffeine. Don’t try this with an energy drink: all the sugars can affect the sleep process.
2.Quickly lie down in a quiet location, and if necessary, use an eye mask and earplugs. If you’re at work and have access to a car, relocate there if there’s no where else to go. If you’re an air traffic controller, a power nap on the toilet will have to suffice.
- Set an alarm for 20 minutes, but if you snap awake after only 10 minutes, go ahead and get up.
4.Dominate
That’s all there is to it.