Booster Breaks in the Workplace

Booster Breaks in the Workplace

Booster Breaks are defined as: “organized, routine work breaks intended to improve physical and psychological health, enhance job satisfaction, and sustain or increase work productivity.” First started by Dr. Wendell C. Taylor, the intent of Booster Breaks is to encourage health-enhancing breaks during the work day as a corrective to job stress and sedentary behavior. Examples of Booster Breaks are physical activity (e.g., a brief sequence of physical movements, tai chi, or yoga), meditation, or Sudarshan Kriya (i.e., specific rhythms of breath). Even for brief sessions (i.e., 10- to 15- minutes), a routine practice of any of the preceding examples can produce physical, psychological, and/or mental benefits.

One objective of Booster Breaks is to transform work place culture so that management supports and encourages Booster Breaks during the work day and that groups of co-workers regularly participate in Booster Break sessions to provide social support and promote enjoyment. In many work places, the usual 10- to 15-minute work breaks in the morning and afternoon can be organized as Booster Breaks to enable a regular practice of a health-promoting behavior at the work place in work clothes during the work day. Ideally, each company would have Booster Break facilitators (i.e., company employees trained to lead the activity) who guide each session.

Citations

* American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2005, volume 29, pages 461-465
* Health Magazine, September 2006, pages 96-98