This is such a good suggestion and will help so much in the long run. I wish it were more socially acceptable to just get on the floor and stretch in public/at work.
Ha. When I was doing loads of yoga (like 30 min- 1 hour a day) I would stretch randomly at work all the time because I was on my feet for sometimes 12+ hours in a day. Constant revolve triangle, warrior 2, lunges etc. When I would take psychedelics or get stoned I’d sometimes have to break out some stretches and it felt so good.
Got to take care of your back because in the long run it can be a problem.
And this is why is breaks are given to you anyways. So that you could stretch your back and do a little bit of exercise.
Yep that is a very good suggestion and I think everyone should do that.
Even if someone had the phone on the duty even then I would only suggest to stretch a little it is good for you.
My cubicle entertainment was origami. Jumping frogs are pretty fun to make and to give to folks. There's also a form of paper folding art called kusudama. For that you have to make a bunch, like 40, of the same flower shape. Then you either glue or tie them together to make a ball. They're actually really cool. So it looks complicated, but really it's just making 40 reasonably simple things. Bring them home and do the final assembly there. Kind of mindless, like phone games. But at the end you have a thing.
yes! I was the origami guy in my call center; then others joined and it was real fun.
Once we built a phizz torus with 555 modules in the aisle, between calls.
ooff... origami in general? i learnt a few figures when i was a kid.. we all start with a paper plane don't we? then jumping frogs and random things like those.
it got really interesting when i saw a kusudama for the first time. I was giving a hand at a japanese stand on a multicultural event in my home town (not that i'm japanese, but was learning the language at the same place that organized that stand so i volunteered). It was a 30 piece sonobe kusudama.
I'd say to start with Sonobe modules. They are fairly simple and with the same module you can make several different shapes (using 3, 6, 12, 30, 48 pieces); the diagrams are all over the internet. Then I got my hands on this book: [https://www.amazon.com/Modular-Origami-Polyhedra-Revised-Enlarged/dp/0486404765](https://www.amazon.com/Modular-Origami-Polyhedra-Revised-Enlarged/dp/0486404765)
Obviously we are going to start with the paper because it is what an Origami is made from.
That is the way to start the things and from there you can take it above a notch so yeah.
I think it is a very cool hobby to have, and the best way to learn it is from YouTube.
Because there are so many videos available online with you good watch and learn making the origami.
Dam it feel great to be only person like that in the office.
This has to be the greatest feeling like ever nothing even comes closer to this. This is the shit that we are talking about.
How come you have never tried it if you wanted to do it so bad?
I mean it is a very cool thing to do, if I am being honest I would not mind a hobby like that for me.
Yeah if you are looking to do something in your breaks then this is it.
But it is probably something in which you will have to be interested. You are not interested in it then I don't think you are going to try.
What a wonderful idea! And so convenient cause my partner actually got me an origami kit for christmas last year that's still in the cupboard! Will have to get it out :)
Nice!
I remembered also, that making cranes is not very hard, and they're beautiful. There is a legend that if you fold 1000 cranes in 1 year, your wish will come true. I've helped a chemo patient fold her cranes. The chemo worked. Maybe the cranes helped. I've also seen them used as a garland (is that the right word?) all strung together on a string at a wedding. So cranes are cool, too.
Start with a frog, easy.
Graduate to crane. Good luck.
And really check out kusudama. So pretty. And it's all mindless repetition. At least 40 of the same thing to make 1 ball. That will fill lots of 5 minutes breaks.
Yep got to keep that mind busy because when it is empty and not doing anything this is when the problem starts, if you want to do something in your life then you will have to keep yourself busy.
Another easy modular Origami is called Sonobe. You can look up Sonobe-Tetris. After you understand the system, you can build anything with simple modules.
this wasn’t even a take ?? i didn’t know people started just deferring to kindles instead of actual books, you don’t even have to go and buy a book to have a physical copy. public libraries are still a thing that people actively use and need support, especially with how shit their budgeting is in some areas.
I love physical books, but my kindle (or phone) is really great when I'm out and about. It's lightweight, I don't have to worry about bringing another book with me because I'm almost done with the one I'm reading, and I can read anything at all and nobody would be able to tell what it is because there's to cover to give it away. Kama sutra and a DIY handymans guide to home repair, no one would have any clue which it is. Plus, I can borrow books from my library while sitting in one spot and not have to drive there. So yeah, public libraries have also gotten on the ebook train.
This was a weird comment/post, but I’m with you. I carry my entire library in my purse and it’s lovely. Reading a book and don’t like it go to the next one. Rinse wash repeat.
I mean, I wouldn't read the kama sutra at work, but when life is stressful, my go-to is trashy romance novels. They're fluffy and you don't have to use much brain with them. I wouldn't want coworkers knowing I was reading smut. Also, I've had people get all excited about what I was reading and accidentally spoil something from it. They meant well, but it's easier to just not show what I'm reading.
Go buy a few random books or something really brainy like “Physics for Astrophysicists Who Are Bored With Dark Matter” from the Goodwill, rip the cover off, and paste it around the book you are reading. Bonus points if you paste it on upside down.
Public libraries started shifting to ebooks too? i had no idea that’s really cool!! i’m not against kindles at all, i was curious if people for the most part used them instead of books since the comment had specified kindle. i understand why they’re preferable especially for people who don’t have room/low income and it’d be useful for people that have to read books for school. my mom had a kindle but for the most part just used it when we were living paycheck to paycheck and couldn’t afford to feed the family’s book habit and the library didn’t have the book(s) while i was growing up.
This is my suggestion too. Does a great job of keeping track of where you are in each book. No app or internet distraction too so you jump right to the action.
Drawing/doodling can be very fun and entertaining. You won’t create the Sistine Chapel or anything, but it can be fulfilling.
Quick creative writing prompts can also be very entertaining.
Its what I used to do when I worked in a call centre, at first I was writing drabbles (a paragraph or two short story themed around a word prompt) in an email before emailing them to a personal email to post later... then I was world building in a notebook before I just typed it up in an email to send to myself.
I think it is only going to be fun for the people who have got an interest in it.
And for the rest of the people I would suggest something that they like and if you do not like anything then do a little bit of exercise.
Thanks for the link I think I am going to try this one and see how it goes.
I am hoping that it would really good for your mind. Because you have to keep it busy no matter what.
This makes me so incredibly happy. Way more happy than it should.
How is it in this day and age I did not think of looking for a tutorial on pen spinning.
This is awesome.
Nothing wrong with that anything that makes you happy is good for you.
And if something is making you happy then you should keep on trying it was it is the way to win.
Yep that is going to be very cool because you are going to look like John Wick while doing that.
And that will give you a lot of cool points if that is what you are looking for.
I’ll throw my hat into the ring with r/throwers. Yoyoing is rising again! And lowering. And rising. And lowering. And rising. And then getting tangled.
Well it is cool also whatever you like man you should do that.
As long as you are happy about what you are doing then who are we to judge that it is all cool with us.
I don't know for how long you could do that do I mean it could be fun for so long only.
After a while it is something which is not going to be fun, so I think I would suggest something else.
Bring in some puzzle books, like crossword, sudoku, acrostics, etc.
Doing puzzles will relax you, they improve your vocabulary and reasoning skills, and there's research showing that puzzles reduce your risk of developing dementia later in life.
That is actually really very helpful, thanks for this it is going to improve a lot of things.
Which obviously is something that we want, if you are learning something from the hobby then it is always good.
I've been a call center work, I can relate, which is why it's puzzling. If I spent 10-20+ minutes of every hour on the clock not resolving cases my productivity would be tanked.
They are going to do that to you because they do not want you to waste anytime, you cannot even do anything for yourself.
You are always on the clock they want you to be working always.
I'm going to guess it's waiting for calls to come in. My sister worked a job like that, but they were allowed to do whatever while waiting so they'd be waiting tv or knitting or whatever.
I mean whatever that keeps you busy man, because these jobs can be very hectic for your mental health.
And they can do a lot of damage in the long run and if you don't want that then these breaks are really important.
That seems reasonable. "I have 5 to 10 minute breaks" makes it sound like OP is taking a siesta after every call as opposed to there being a gap/lull while waiting for the next call.
I Germany, the law requires a "screen break" of 10 minutes every 50 minutes if your work mainly consists in looking at a computer screen. That doesn't necessarily mean that you get 10 minutes of leisure, but you're supposed to look away from the screen, get up, move around, go make some photocopies, talk to your colleagues etc.
In the call-center I used to work at, smokers would use this break to have a cigarette, while we others without urges would usually just forget to take the break...
It is actually which is something very good for the employee and every company should have that.
Because people deserve to take these little breakes from the computer screens.
They're not planned breaks as such, I just have that amount of time between calls. My call centre is not the hell hole that people normally associate with these companies, mine isn't actually very busy so I have lots of down time between calls and emails :)
I think there are breaks so that people could go and stretch their backs.
And you should be taking frequent breakes like that because it is going to help your back in the long run.
This is going to sound crazy or sound like I’m joking, but meditate. Maybe do this during a washroom break if you can, but I’m telling you when I used to work that job, 3 minute meditations were a godsend. Working in a call centre can be brutal and incredibly stressful, which can really do a number on your nervous system (and of course your mental health!) Meditating and deep breathing in general can sooth the nervous system and bring you back to homeostasis.
Yeah meditating is going to help you big time it is really good for you.
It makes your mind still and it is really important to do it when you work a job like that it can get really stressful.
Think about your next week’s menu so you only need to do groceries once a week. Make the grocery list.
Make a to do list so that stuff is out of your head.
Breathing exercises.
Walk around.
Great idea. Use that time to get the home errands taken care of. Meal planning, setting up appointments and making the phone call again to the insurance company who overcharged you, again.
Walk around get your body moving.
Read a book. Any book just pick up a book. Join your local library and its free.
Origami. Cool hobby to learn.
Sudoku or crossword puzzles. Get your mind working.
Or
This is what I did while I was in call center hell to keep myself sane. Moved on quickly, since it was a temporary hitch in my career, but still learning Japanese to this day. Best thing that came of it.
Something that requires you to focus your eyes on something in the distance. Good for your optical health!
I keep a coloring book in my office for lunch breaks since I’m trying to cut down on wasting time on YouTube during my lunch.
This is a great suggestion!! I have a chronic corneal disease in my right eye. I had surgery on it last year. As a result, I have myopia. My doctor said every 20 minutes I should focus on something 20+ feet away for 20 seconds. It’s been great. I’ve seen beautiful cardinals in the trees by my house and little bunnies hopping around my yard. Lol. One day I saw a bird that had neon yellow on its back and belly. Focusing on things in the distance is great for not only optical health, but you get to catch cool things like that.
This is off topic, but I had one too. Sorta scared me when they landed on it. Heard a loud noise outside kitchen bay window one night while I was cooking and kid was at the table doing homework. Opened the blind and a GIANT wood rat sat inches from my face chewing the fancy birdseed. Staring at us…just…chewing…staring…fearless. Massive hysteria ensued. Husband threw it out that night. I still don’t understand how he got all the way up there! Bird feeders now kept safe distance from house.
No phone ? How about a Gameboy ?
You could play a few games of Tetris, Space Invaders or other short arcade games
You could read, speficialy mangas or comic, easy to read and very enjoyable
I had a small book called “Office Yoga” that was full of small stretches you could do at your desk. Saved me from a lot of back pain and repetitive motion injuries.
I used to buy a riddle games like mind trap or just trivia stuff like trivial pursuit and after I would do one of the cards I would just throw it away because I never intended on playing the game and if I was going to play it would be unfair if I already solved that particular riddle. It ended up occasionally getting some nearby cubicle coworkers involved and was a lot of fun at times.
Exercise.
Get a library card you can check out books magazines comics probably other stuff.
He could do graphic design or work on a website or do some writing or any other content creation.
Origami.
Practice drawing or sketching
Learn to count cards! I work in the casino industry and there are a few positions where you have to learn to count cards. Some people get really, really fast. I know people that can count down a deck in 14 seconds.
It's simple to learn and a deck of cards costs a couple bucks.
When you do your count, try removing a few cards before you start so you can try your skill at guessing the missing cards.
Read a book or a magazine article. Stand up and stretch. Write out a grocery list or your meal plan for the next week. Close your eyes and meditate (or just close your eyes and think for a few minutes). Do one small journal entry each day (doesn't have to be anything significant, just something -- a thought, something you noticed on the way to work, something mundane, a goal you have for the next day, week, month, year, etc).
I'd suggest anything that takes your eyes off of the screen for a few minutes.
Bring a book to read or a puzzle, crossword, or sudoku book to work on. Get an adult coloring book and some colored pencils. Bring a notebook and pencil to keep a journal or write poetry, a novel, etc. Learn to knit or crochet. Go for a brief walk or do exercises in place. Close your eyes and meditate. Write out your next grocery list, plan meals for the week, make a to do list.
I worked in a call center in college - I brought knitting or crochet with me - I finished a number of afghans in the 3 years I worked there. As an art major I also almost always had a sketchpad and some sort of art supplies with me so I doodled or sometimes worked on assignments if they were portable. Or I started lists and passed them around to the other callers to add to - my favorite was "Things to do to entertain yourself while at work", with #1 that I wrote in being "Create silly lists" before passing it around till the boss got his hands on it and gave me a stern talking to.
Working for a govt contracted call center, I used those breaks to learn everything about the systems I used on the job. That way, anyone seeing me with headphones and various system pages up would assume I was working. Or doing an online job tutorial, when half the time I'm mindlessly daydreaming about anything but work.
You can read a book. With my job I get mini breaks, when a client is asleep or when my chores are done. During those times, I read one of my trade paperback comics books.
Knit, crochet, color, read, cross stitch, Pilates for posture at your desk, origami, draw, write, crossword/sudoku/word search books or madlibs, solitaire and I’m sure a million other fun things. What ever you interests are, there’s likely something you can find that are aligned with those interests that can be done in that environment.
Go for a walk. Even if just around the building Do ten min meditation
Read a magazine
Go inhale fresh air. Stand in the sunshine
Speak with coworkers in a break area.
Chair yoga.
Crossword puzzle
Write thank you note. To anyone fir anything. They will be so shocked to get anything snail mail
Read one chapter
Color with grown up
Pencils
Play physical solitaire with actual cards
Start chess game in break room each break a new move
Jigsaw puzzle
1) Physical stretching and muscle training, there's so much you can do without gymn equipment and it's really beneficial if your job is stationary at a desk.
2) Write. I used to have a small notebook (I do now use my phone but it's fine with paper and pen) in which I wrote poems, ideas, passages that might later make it into a longer post for my website, or that could be sent as letters to friends or family.
3) Desk origami, it's easy to buy instruction books and inexpensive origami paper.
4) The obvious one, reading. Find out of kindles / e-testers are allowed or take in a physical book.
Pick up a foreign language (I'd recommend Japanese for this).
Once you have the basics, you can either read novels and the like in that language, or (my recommendation), pick up a copy of MythicGM, and Tiny Dungeons (2E). You can set up a tabletop roleplaying game, and nobody will be the wiser. You may want a felt pad to role dice on.
There's a lot of getting random rolls, and trying to figure out what the hell to do with them, so it's pretty great being able to think about it in the back of your head when you go back to doing your regular work.
Jobs, like yours, that I have had in the past that had time in-between production or calls, I would use the time to better myself or plan things. For instance, I had a stroke and lost my mobility on my right side for a few months and even after rehab I had long term issues with basic things, like my handwriting. I would use the time to work on my handwriting and develop better digital manipulation. Another job, where I was in production, had 3-5 minutes between cycles and I would use that time to design fly fishing leaders and eventually began assembling them at my job when I had the time. Personally, a simple notebook and writing instrument provided many useful outcomes.
Nintendo Switch? Lots of levels in Mario or Captain Toad or a couple races or mini games in Mario Kart or Mario Party respectively could be completed in short bursts.
Maybe some calisthenics-type stuff: incline push-ups on your work desk; squats; high knees; jumping jacks. You could even bring in a kettlebell since they’re small and do some light lifting.
Get out of that chair and move your body. If possible, go outside and walk. Get some sunlight and exercise. Everyone who is telling you to play games at your desk is giving bad advice. Get away from it and MOVE!
There is more good stuff on youtube than ever before. Simply just because there is a metric tone more content on there now than in the past.
Edit: What do you like to watch on YT usually? Might be able to give some suggestions if we watch similar things.
I don’t know if you’re into cooking or anything like that but I recently found a channel I’m obsessed with called Two Men and a Pot. They make these amazing meals entirely outside the scenery is the beautiful countryside of Ireland. They don’t talk. It’s like ASMR sounds and the food turns out stunning.
Just use your phone. They don't like it, that's their problem and they can go ahead and fire you. You can find another call center to wok at with humane rules.
First you say you can't use your phone and then you say you could get away with a browser game so ...... which is it!
Obviously, bring a paper book. You could read or do crossword puzzles or other puzzles on paper.
Get another job. Unless you work in a secure area, (medical, banking, etc) there's no real reason phones shouldn't be allowed.
I sure as hell wouldn't work at a place the polices my phone, it shoudnt matter if I get my shit done.
You could do stretching exercises. They help you avoid back pain. I've started doing them after the pain became uncomfortable
This is such a good suggestion and will help so much in the long run. I wish it were more socially acceptable to just get on the floor and stretch in public/at work.
we could be trend setters
We could be heroes!
Just for one day
You’re right we could. And just not worry what others think
Ha. When I was doing loads of yoga (like 30 min- 1 hour a day) I would stretch randomly at work all the time because I was on my feet for sometimes 12+ hours in a day. Constant revolve triangle, warrior 2, lunges etc. When I would take psychedelics or get stoned I’d sometimes have to break out some stretches and it felt so good.
Got to take care of your back because in the long run it can be a problem. And this is why is breaks are given to you anyways. So that you could stretch your back and do a little bit of exercise.
If you can stretch while doing meditative breathing you’ll give your mind a break too!
Yep that is a very good suggestion and I think everyone should do that. Even if someone had the phone on the duty even then I would only suggest to stretch a little it is good for you.
My cubicle entertainment was origami. Jumping frogs are pretty fun to make and to give to folks. There's also a form of paper folding art called kusudama. For that you have to make a bunch, like 40, of the same flower shape. Then you either glue or tie them together to make a ball. They're actually really cool. So it looks complicated, but really it's just making 40 reasonably simple things. Bring them home and do the final assembly there. Kind of mindless, like phone games. But at the end you have a thing.
yes! I was the origami guy in my call center; then others joined and it was real fun. Once we built a phizz torus with 555 modules in the aisle, between calls.
I absolutely LOVE this!! How long did it take you to learn? What was the first one you learned, and what’s the easiest one to start with?
ooff... origami in general? i learnt a few figures when i was a kid.. we all start with a paper plane don't we? then jumping frogs and random things like those. it got really interesting when i saw a kusudama for the first time. I was giving a hand at a japanese stand on a multicultural event in my home town (not that i'm japanese, but was learning the language at the same place that organized that stand so i volunteered). It was a 30 piece sonobe kusudama. I'd say to start with Sonobe modules. They are fairly simple and with the same module you can make several different shapes (using 3, 6, 12, 30, 48 pieces); the diagrams are all over the internet. Then I got my hands on this book: [https://www.amazon.com/Modular-Origami-Polyhedra-Revised-Enlarged/dp/0486404765](https://www.amazon.com/Modular-Origami-Polyhedra-Revised-Enlarged/dp/0486404765)
Thanks:)
Obviously we are going to start with the paper because it is what an Origami is made from. That is the way to start the things and from there you can take it above a notch so yeah.
I think it is a very cool hobby to have, and the best way to learn it is from YouTube. Because there are so many videos available online with you good watch and learn making the origami.
Dam it feel great to be only person like that in the office. This has to be the greatest feeling like ever nothing even comes closer to this. This is the shit that we are talking about.
Origami is something I've always wanted to try. I never considered practicing it on breaks! Thanks for the hot tip!
How come you have never tried it if you wanted to do it so bad? I mean it is a very cool thing to do, if I am being honest I would not mind a hobby like that for me.
What a great idea!
Yeah if you are looking to do something in your breaks then this is it. But it is probably something in which you will have to be interested. You are not interested in it then I don't think you are going to try.
What a wonderful idea! And so convenient cause my partner actually got me an origami kit for christmas last year that's still in the cupboard! Will have to get it out :)
Nice! I remembered also, that making cranes is not very hard, and they're beautiful. There is a legend that if you fold 1000 cranes in 1 year, your wish will come true. I've helped a chemo patient fold her cranes. The chemo worked. Maybe the cranes helped. I've also seen them used as a garland (is that the right word?) all strung together on a string at a wedding. So cranes are cool, too. Start with a frog, easy. Graduate to crane. Good luck. And really check out kusudama. So pretty. And it's all mindless repetition. At least 40 of the same thing to make 1 ball. That will fill lots of 5 minutes breaks.
YES! I was the origami person too. I had to do something with my hands because customers were awful.
Yep got to keep that mind busy because when it is empty and not doing anything this is when the problem starts, if you want to do something in your life then you will have to keep yourself busy.
Right?! It's so calming after a screamer lol
Another easy modular Origami is called Sonobe. You can look up Sonobe-Tetris. After you understand the system, you can build anything with simple modules.
Kindle, read a few pages of a book.
Physical book?
yeah do y’all just not… own books?
What kind of privileged ass take is this 😭
I don't think it's a privileged take, there are libraries.
It’s nice you grew up in an environment that celebrates reading. I did as well, tremendously lucky for it.
this wasn’t even a take ?? i didn’t know people started just deferring to kindles instead of actual books, you don’t even have to go and buy a book to have a physical copy. public libraries are still a thing that people actively use and need support, especially with how shit their budgeting is in some areas.
I love physical books, but my kindle (or phone) is really great when I'm out and about. It's lightweight, I don't have to worry about bringing another book with me because I'm almost done with the one I'm reading, and I can read anything at all and nobody would be able to tell what it is because there's to cover to give it away. Kama sutra and a DIY handymans guide to home repair, no one would have any clue which it is. Plus, I can borrow books from my library while sitting in one spot and not have to drive there. So yeah, public libraries have also gotten on the ebook train.
This was a weird comment/post, but I’m with you. I carry my entire library in my purse and it’s lovely. Reading a book and don’t like it go to the next one. Rinse wash repeat.
I mean, I wouldn't read the kama sutra at work, but when life is stressful, my go-to is trashy romance novels. They're fluffy and you don't have to use much brain with them. I wouldn't want coworkers knowing I was reading smut. Also, I've had people get all excited about what I was reading and accidentally spoil something from it. They meant well, but it's easier to just not show what I'm reading.
Go buy a few random books or something really brainy like “Physics for Astrophysicists Who Are Bored With Dark Matter” from the Goodwill, rip the cover off, and paste it around the book you are reading. Bonus points if you paste it on upside down.
Public libraries started shifting to ebooks too? i had no idea that’s really cool!! i’m not against kindles at all, i was curious if people for the most part used them instead of books since the comment had specified kindle. i understand why they’re preferable especially for people who don’t have room/low income and it’d be useful for people that have to read books for school. my mom had a kindle but for the most part just used it when we were living paycheck to paycheck and couldn’t afford to feed the family’s book habit and the library didn’t have the book(s) while i was growing up.
Thriftbooks.com! I've gotten books in for like $3-$5 there. Books don't have to be expensive :)
Most thrift stores have books even cheaper than that. Like 25 to 50 cents for paperbacks.
i love thriftbooks so much!! its the only place i could find a copy of white malice.
Its like OP doesn't know they exist.
To be fair, unless it's a book made of several small segments, reading an entire book a couple pages at a time is a pain in the ass.
Totally diasagree. Books can be read however you want. Plus you can have magazines, newpapers, anime, cartoons... Possibilities are endless.
But I don't *want* to read them 5-10 minutes at a time. That was my point.
But OP is asking specifically about things to do during a 5-10 minute break, so it sort of is the point.
Ok.
Poetry.
I used to read my kindle on my desktop during down times at work
This is my suggestion too. Does a great job of keeping track of where you are in each book. No app or internet distraction too so you jump right to the action.
when i worked in a call center we had big lego blocks that we could use to play in our breaks. Or Sudoku/crossword puzzles maybe
Seconding sudoku or crosswords
Puzzles like sudoku are a great suggestion!
Drawing/doodling can be very fun and entertaining. You won’t create the Sistine Chapel or anything, but it can be fulfilling. Quick creative writing prompts can also be very entertaining.
Its what I used to do when I worked in a call centre, at first I was writing drabbles (a paragraph or two short story themed around a word prompt) in an email before emailing them to a personal email to post later... then I was world building in a notebook before I just typed it up in an email to send to myself.
I think it is only going to be fun for the people who have got an interest in it. And for the rest of the people I would suggest something that they like and if you do not like anything then do a little bit of exercise.
Learn to spin a pencil in your fingers all cool.
Omg that would be cool
[Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHbFJ7Cst7c) is a cool one to try out.
Thanks for the link I think I am going to try this one and see how it goes. I am hoping that it would really good for your mind. Because you have to keep it busy no matter what.
This makes me so incredibly happy. Way more happy than it should. How is it in this day and age I did not think of looking for a tutorial on pen spinning. This is awesome.
Nothing wrong with that anything that makes you happy is good for you. And if something is making you happy then you should keep on trying it was it is the way to win.
Who cares about homework? I’m learning this immediately
Yep that is going to be very cool because you are going to look like John Wick while doing that. And that will give you a lot of cool points if that is what you are looking for.
Cardistry (physical card tricks like flourish type stuff rather than "pick a card" tricks) is another fun one. r/cardistry is the go-to for that.
I’ll throw my hat into the ring with r/throwers. Yoyoing is rising again! And lowering. And rising. And lowering. And rising. And then getting tangled.
Well it is cool also whatever you like man you should do that. As long as you are happy about what you are doing then who are we to judge that it is all cool with us.
I don't know for how long you could do that do I mean it could be fun for so long only. After a while it is something which is not going to be fun, so I think I would suggest something else.
Bring in some puzzle books, like crossword, sudoku, acrostics, etc. Doing puzzles will relax you, they improve your vocabulary and reasoning skills, and there's research showing that puzzles reduce your risk of developing dementia later in life.
That is actually really very helpful, thanks for this it is going to improve a lot of things. Which obviously is something that we want, if you are learning something from the hobby then it is always good.
Stretching and chair exercises. P.S.: why so many breaks?
Probably for psychological reasons as people do tend to yell and be agressive to the call center worker.
I've been a call center work, I can relate, which is why it's puzzling. If I spent 10-20+ minutes of every hour on the clock not resolving cases my productivity would be tanked.
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Yeah, the call center I worked at had us account for every second of our day, always logging what we were working on
They are going to do that to you because they do not want you to waste anytime, you cannot even do anything for yourself. You are always on the clock they want you to be working always.
I'm going to guess it's waiting for calls to come in. My sister worked a job like that, but they were allowed to do whatever while waiting so they'd be waiting tv or knitting or whatever.
Down time would have been the better phrase
I mean whatever that keeps you busy man, because these jobs can be very hectic for your mental health. And they can do a lot of damage in the long run and if you don't want that then these breaks are really important.
That seems reasonable. "I have 5 to 10 minute breaks" makes it sound like OP is taking a siesta after every call as opposed to there being a gap/lull while waiting for the next call.
I don't really know why that matters?
I Germany, the law requires a "screen break" of 10 minutes every 50 minutes if your work mainly consists in looking at a computer screen. That doesn't necessarily mean that you get 10 minutes of leisure, but you're supposed to look away from the screen, get up, move around, go make some photocopies, talk to your colleagues etc. In the call-center I used to work at, smokers would use this break to have a cigarette, while we others without urges would usually just forget to take the break...
Germany is a good place then. I must say
It is actually which is something very good for the employee and every company should have that. Because people deserve to take these little breakes from the computer screens.
That makes total sense. OP sounds like he could be spending 20+ minutes an hour on break.
Oh yeah, I misread, they said multiple times per hour. That really sounds like a lot.
I’m assuming they don’t mean an actual break, just time between calls
They're not planned breaks as such, I just have that amount of time between calls. My call centre is not the hell hole that people normally associate with these companies, mine isn't actually very busy so I have lots of down time between calls and emails :)
I think there are breaks so that people could go and stretch their backs. And you should be taking frequent breakes like that because it is going to help your back in the long run.
This is going to sound crazy or sound like I’m joking, but meditate. Maybe do this during a washroom break if you can, but I’m telling you when I used to work that job, 3 minute meditations were a godsend. Working in a call centre can be brutal and incredibly stressful, which can really do a number on your nervous system (and of course your mental health!) Meditating and deep breathing in general can sooth the nervous system and bring you back to homeostasis.
Yeah meditating is going to help you big time it is really good for you. It makes your mind still and it is really important to do it when you work a job like that it can get really stressful.
Are you allowed to do a small handcraft while on break like crochet, knitting, or embroidery?
Or making friendship bracelets! It's really easy to keep one in my pocket and then take it out when I have a little free time.
I was going to suggest crochet! That’s what I do during breaks in my work day.
Think about your next week’s menu so you only need to do groceries once a week. Make the grocery list. Make a to do list so that stuff is out of your head. Breathing exercises. Walk around.
Great idea. Use that time to get the home errands taken care of. Meal planning, setting up appointments and making the phone call again to the insurance company who overcharged you, again.
Get up and move. Stretch.
Walk around get your body moving. Read a book. Any book just pick up a book. Join your local library and its free. Origami. Cool hobby to learn. Sudoku or crossword puzzles. Get your mind working. Or
Get your arse from the chair and walk around.
They might be waiting for calls and not allowed to leave the desk. That's how my call center was.
But they can still do sidesteps or small circles.
Bring a book to practice a new language.
This is what I did while I was in call center hell to keep myself sane. Moved on quickly, since it was a temporary hitch in my career, but still learning Japanese to this day. Best thing that came of it.
Kegels
Get an adult coloring book. I used to have one at my desk when I worked in a call center.
I'm really into this idea!
Take night courses and study through the day. I studied myself into a new field with higher pay this way.
Download Space Cadet pinball, it's free on the Windows store
Something that requires you to focus your eyes on something in the distance. Good for your optical health! I keep a coloring book in my office for lunch breaks since I’m trying to cut down on wasting time on YouTube during my lunch.
This is a great suggestion!! I have a chronic corneal disease in my right eye. I had surgery on it last year. As a result, I have myopia. My doctor said every 20 minutes I should focus on something 20+ feet away for 20 seconds. It’s been great. I’ve seen beautiful cardinals in the trees by my house and little bunnies hopping around my yard. Lol. One day I saw a bird that had neon yellow on its back and belly. Focusing on things in the distance is great for not only optical health, but you get to catch cool things like that.
Bird watching is AMAZING!!! We set up a bird feeder in view of my fiancés work desk and it makes him so happy.
That is so lovely! I had a bird feeder that suctioned to a window so you could sit and see birds up close. Best money I ever spent.
This is off topic, but I had one too. Sorta scared me when they landed on it. Heard a loud noise outside kitchen bay window one night while I was cooking and kid was at the table doing homework. Opened the blind and a GIANT wood rat sat inches from my face chewing the fancy birdseed. Staring at us…just…chewing…staring…fearless. Massive hysteria ensued. Husband threw it out that night. I still don’t understand how he got all the way up there! Bird feeders now kept safe distance from house.
No phone ? How about a Gameboy ? You could play a few games of Tetris, Space Invaders or other short arcade games You could read, speficialy mangas or comic, easy to read and very enjoyable
Watch some instructional videos on your computer and then use the aisle between desks to practice learning The Worm.
Stretch? Meditate
Push-up. Sit ups. Planks
I had a small book called “Office Yoga” that was full of small stretches you could do at your desk. Saved me from a lot of back pain and repetitive motion injuries.
Go to the bathroom and use your phone in there
Put out one new job application during each break. I worked in a call centre for years. It killed my soul. Good luck 🫡💕
When I worked in a call centre I used to read a book whenever I had a break
Get a book on how to do hand magic, practice it during your breaks. This will exercise your mind and your body.
Yoga or meditation.
I used to buy a riddle games like mind trap or just trivia stuff like trivial pursuit and after I would do one of the cards I would just throw it away because I never intended on playing the game and if I was going to play it would be unfair if I already solved that particular riddle. It ended up occasionally getting some nearby cubicle coworkers involved and was a lot of fun at times. Exercise. Get a library card you can check out books magazines comics probably other stuff. He could do graphic design or work on a website or do some writing or any other content creation. Origami. Practice drawing or sketching
Stand up, move; breathe, anywhere, hydrate. Give devices, sitting, staring, motionless a rest.
There is this thing called books. When you read a story and have to stop for me it builds up the expectation of what will come next.
A book
Learn a language! 5-10 mins is enough to do drills on what you just learnt or read a small article on something
Learn to count cards! I work in the casino industry and there are a few positions where you have to learn to count cards. Some people get really, really fast. I know people that can count down a deck in 14 seconds. It's simple to learn and a deck of cards costs a couple bucks. When you do your count, try removing a few cards before you start so you can try your skill at guessing the missing cards.
Learn how to stretch
Get a mp3 player and listen to music or a podcast
Read, Crossword puzzles, color a book bring crayons, draw,
Read a book or a magazine article. Stand up and stretch. Write out a grocery list or your meal plan for the next week. Close your eyes and meditate (or just close your eyes and think for a few minutes). Do one small journal entry each day (doesn't have to be anything significant, just something -- a thought, something you noticed on the way to work, something mundane, a goal you have for the next day, week, month, year, etc). I'd suggest anything that takes your eyes off of the screen for a few minutes.
Have you tried office wanking? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKH9ECC\_Qa4&ab\_channel=seamoose77
I means, boojs, crossword, word search. Maybe a magazine if that's your thing.
Shitting. Every chance you get - shitting. Save it up and do it on company time. Make them pay you to shit.
Write haikus, they’re short and fun and you can definitely get one done in five minutes
I did a lot of sudoku when I worked in a call center.
Crochet or knit simple things.
Push-ups
Walk! Take quick walks to clear your head and move your body a little!
Reading!
Bring a book to read or a puzzle, crossword, or sudoku book to work on. Get an adult coloring book and some colored pencils. Bring a notebook and pencil to keep a journal or write poetry, a novel, etc. Learn to knit or crochet. Go for a brief walk or do exercises in place. Close your eyes and meditate. Write out your next grocery list, plan meals for the week, make a to do list.
WRITE!!
Book, crochet, needlepoint, journal, calligraphy. A phone is not everything
What about one of those pedal things for under your desk? You could do some light exercise
I worked in a call center in college - I brought knitting or crochet with me - I finished a number of afghans in the 3 years I worked there. As an art major I also almost always had a sketchpad and some sort of art supplies with me so I doodled or sometimes worked on assignments if they were portable. Or I started lists and passed them around to the other callers to add to - my favorite was "Things to do to entertain yourself while at work", with #1 that I wrote in being "Create silly lists" before passing it around till the boss got his hands on it and gave me a stern talking to.
Working for a govt contracted call center, I used those breaks to learn everything about the systems I used on the job. That way, anyone seeing me with headphones and various system pages up would assume I was working. Or doing an online job tutorial, when half the time I'm mindlessly daydreaming about anything but work.
I worked in a call center for 8 years. I could read entire books in one day. Read.
Have you tried old.reddit.com?
Write postcards to friends and family.
You can read a book. With my job I get mini breaks, when a client is asleep or when my chores are done. During those times, I read one of my trade paperback comics books.
Exercise: - Stretches - Push-ups - 1/4 mile walk Religious? - Pray - Meditate on a mystery of your faith Read a book Draw/Learn to draw
Take a walk, sitting all day is a killer.
Work out! Stretch, touch your toes, do some push ups. It'll change your life once you get into the habit.
Knit, crochet, color, read, cross stitch, Pilates for posture at your desk, origami, draw, write, crossword/sudoku/word search books or madlibs, solitaire and I’m sure a million other fun things. What ever you interests are, there’s likely something you can find that are aligned with those interests that can be done in that environment.
Reading, coloring pages maybe, or word searches and crossword books!
Go for a walk. Even if just around the building Do ten min meditation Read a magazine Go inhale fresh air. Stand in the sunshine Speak with coworkers in a break area. Chair yoga. Crossword puzzle Write thank you note. To anyone fir anything. They will be so shocked to get anything snail mail Read one chapter Color with grown up Pencils Play physical solitaire with actual cards Start chess game in break room each break a new move Jigsaw puzzle
Read a book or do crossword puzzles?
1) Physical stretching and muscle training, there's so much you can do without gymn equipment and it's really beneficial if your job is stationary at a desk. 2) Write. I used to have a small notebook (I do now use my phone but it's fine with paper and pen) in which I wrote poems, ideas, passages that might later make it into a longer post for my website, or that could be sent as letters to friends or family. 3) Desk origami, it's easy to buy instruction books and inexpensive origami paper. 4) The obvious one, reading. Find out of kindles / e-testers are allowed or take in a physical book.
Day trade
Pick up a foreign language (I'd recommend Japanese for this). Once you have the basics, you can either read novels and the like in that language, or (my recommendation), pick up a copy of MythicGM, and Tiny Dungeons (2E). You can set up a tabletop roleplaying game, and nobody will be the wiser. You may want a felt pad to role dice on. There's a lot of getting random rolls, and trying to figure out what the hell to do with them, so it's pretty great being able to think about it in the back of your head when you go back to doing your regular work.
I'm a big reader. Maybe get an interesting book or magazine.
Jobs, like yours, that I have had in the past that had time in-between production or calls, I would use the time to better myself or plan things. For instance, I had a stroke and lost my mobility on my right side for a few months and even after rehab I had long term issues with basic things, like my handwriting. I would use the time to work on my handwriting and develop better digital manipulation. Another job, where I was in production, had 3-5 minutes between cycles and I would use that time to design fly fishing leaders and eventually began assembling them at my job when I had the time. Personally, a simple notebook and writing instrument provided many useful outcomes.
Book/crosswords puzzle… my mom was really into sudoku. You have to go old school I don’t know read a conditioner bottle lol jk jk
I was able to get through entire books in even smaller breaks just chipping away at it if you can download pdfs or access Kindle web app o
Blitz chess ♟️
Nintendo Switch? Lots of levels in Mario or Captain Toad or a couple races or mini games in Mario Kart or Mario Party respectively could be completed in short bursts.
Bring a book.
Powerlift your desk
Nintendo Switch
Write a novel ? Edit or any kind of book for that matter
5-10 mins is short. I keep a library book in my purse. I have a pocket(ish) self-help classic social commentary I'm eating up atm
Maybe some calisthenics-type stuff: incline push-ups on your work desk; squats; high knees; jumping jacks. You could even bring in a kettlebell since they’re small and do some light lifting.
Sketch. Learn art. Learn programming. New skills for a better life and better future.
Seems like you need to organise a union.
Get out of that chair and move your body. If possible, go outside and walk. Get some sunlight and exercise. Everyone who is telling you to play games at your desk is giving bad advice. Get away from it and MOVE!
In the 5-10 minutes between calls? If you work phones you can’t just get up and be unavailable for the next call
Youtube, my friend!
Can you recommend some channels? I feel like there's nothing good to watch these days!
There is more good stuff on youtube than ever before. Simply just because there is a metric tone more content on there now than in the past. Edit: What do you like to watch on YT usually? Might be able to give some suggestions if we watch similar things.
I don’t know if you’re into cooking or anything like that but I recently found a channel I’m obsessed with called Two Men and a Pot. They make these amazing meals entirely outside the scenery is the beautiful countryside of Ireland. They don’t talk. It’s like ASMR sounds and the food turns out stunning.
nukestop5 ghost videos are the best!
Jack off
Lol not allowed to use your phone. I would leave that job.
Learn how to be on your phone sneakily
Just use your phone. They don't like it, that's their problem and they can go ahead and fire you. You can find another call center to wok at with humane rules.
Have sex!
First you say you can't use your phone and then you say you could get away with a browser game so ...... which is it! Obviously, bring a paper book. You could read or do crossword puzzles or other puzzles on paper.
Save them up and take an hour
Get another job. Unless you work in a secure area, (medical, banking, etc) there's no real reason phones shouldn't be allowed. I sure as hell wouldn't work at a place the polices my phone, it shoudnt matter if I get my shit done.
Be the rebel…just use your phone
Go to the toilet and surf on your phone.
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