3 ways to take a break without leaving your desk

Take a break to get re-energised

When you’re on a roll.

Or working to a tight deadline.

Take a break without even standing up!

1. Hook up with fellow home workers and freelancers on Twitter
.
I usually keep Twitter switched off while I’m working so I’m not tempted to take a quick look. But I look forward to a regular scan of my timeline as a reward for completing tasks.

Probably best to give yourself just a short time and set an alarm so you don’t drift off into a maze of links and cat photos! A good way to find out what your business friends are up to and what’s happening in your industry.

You can rely on Twitter to have the latest gossip and breaking news. For maximum tweeting brownie points make sure to RT and credit sources.

2. Give your brain a rest
 and gather some inspiration by reading a blog or two totally unrelated to your work.

I search regularly for new ones and my latest favourite is A Beach Cottage, written and photographed by a Brit now living in the Australian sun. Great for budget-conscious tips for tweaking your house and quick, family-friendly recipes. Not to mention shots of white interiors and shabby chic reclaimed furniture.

3. And just for a change 
stop looking at that computer screen and give your eyes a rest. We tend to spend far too long for the health of our eyes gazing at computers. Keep your eyes open while cupping your palms gently over them and look into the soft, warm blackness for a couple of minutes…aaaahhh, what a relief!

Or gaze out of the window into the distance, depending of course on what you can see from your home office window.

Photo credit: Margaret Chamberlain, children’s book illustrator and keen tax return compiler.