This month on Studio Snack, we’re taking a tea break and digging into what taking a break really means.
What happened to the Victorian tea ladies who were replaced with vending machines? Are offices with ping pong tables tea break rooms or a trap to stay working late?
In this episode we learned:
• Academic insight from Dr Annalee Gascoyne on how not taking breaks drains mental energy
• A Baylor University study showing that frequent, short breaks improve energy and reduce aches
• The surprising history of tea breaks, once banned for making workers “slothful”
• The evolution of the tea trolley, from buns to vending machines (cheering up vs. winding up)
• How co-working spaces now use break spaces for casual networking
What’s the best time to take a break?
According to Baylor University studies (and our own poll), mid-afternoon wins.
The Zen Project
In our WhatsApp interview, we spoke to Michael from The Zen Project. They convert American school busses into wellbeing busses. Offering sound baths, short meditation sessions and all taylored to your abilities and needs. We had the chance to check them out when they came at Here East and a short session changed our mood for the whole afternoon.
His advice?
Short breaks often and not on your phone. Just staying still.
And for longer breaks, focus on one thing, whether is your snack, the convesation with a collegue or just your moment.
This month’s experiment: make a snack alarm
Narcis recorded the sound of rattling crisps and biscuit bags, that always takes him out of “the zone”.
He also tried out a Wallace and Gromit inspired alarm. A lever deactivates the main electrics when hits 3pm, and a sprong pushes your chair out of the room. He used paper and pencil and also tried visualising it on AI.
Lydia used sound and video, note how beautiful those mugs are! You can also get one here (Cheeky plug)
And she also made an alarm clock with actual teaspoon hands.
Design reflections
If breaks make us better thinkers, are we designing our workdays wrong?
Do we need more silence, more laughter, more biscuits? Biscuits YES FOR SURE!
And are we taking enough time, not just to snack, but to think?
Joins us next month for another Studio Snack!