Great tip!
You can also use a ringing phone as a reminder for something. For example, if the phone rings, you always bring yourself into the present or take 3 deep breaths.

Juliet

Hi Evita, That’s cool. The computer shuts down and makes you take a break. I love the ideas that Apple implements.

Hi Sue, You make a great point. We feel the need to work so hard to prove ourselves, but we are doing more damage than good. We have to think about her health too.

Hi Chris, Stress can overwhelm us if we aren’t careful. That’s why a good stretch helps keep our muscles and minds relaxed.

Hi Lance, We just have to listen to our bodies before they scream. We have to meet them halfway when they are just at a whisper.

Hi Nadia, No problem. Hope it makes you happier while working.

Hi Vered, Working for too long of a stretch isn’t good for motivation. By just taking a short break you can actually work happier and more efficiently.

That is a cool idea. Thank you for sharing it with all of us. I never thought about using the alarm clock to remind me to stretch.

Hope you have an awesome Thankgiving!

I seem to recall reading somewhere that we should take a two minute break to stretch and breathe every hour! That might seem like a lot, but it’s a smaller price to pay than the errors–to say nothing of the aches, pains & twinges–that can arise out of not taking enough short breaks. It might also be good to try and balance “being in the zone/flow” with being mindful of things like posture, breathing, or subtle twinges that might be trying to let us know it’s time to at least shift our position a bit. It’s also very important to make sure that the work space is ergonomically correct or it can really cause a lot of muscle aches and pains, exacerbate or contribute to repetitive strain injuries, etc.

Humans just weren’t made to be sedentary for hours on end, and our bodies let us know it and tell us when we’re doing things that are contrary to our well-being. I do wonder if in these days of economic restraints and tight job markets, people may fall into the trap of thinking that working really hard will keep their job secure, so they don’t want to be seen “slacking off” for even a minute. I get that a sense of scarcity and fear can put us into that mind frame, but I’d suggest that health and well-being have to come first: If you don’t have those, you can’t work effectively or feel particularly happy while doing the work.

To those of you in the U.S., have a happy thanksgiving tomorrow.