Experiment - Micro Breaks for Pharmacists: Improving Focus During Long Workdays
Hypothesis (or Question)
Do micro breaks (10 bodyweight squats or a 2-minute breathing exercise) improve focus and mental clarity during the pharmacist workday?
Why It Matters
My 9+ hour workdays take their toll. Recently, keeping my focus sharp has become increasingly challenging, leaving me drained by the day's end—too exhausted to enjoy time with loved ones, nurture my side hustles, and chase my dreams. With over 20 years still to go in this career, I must prioritise both my well-being and professional performance. Lapses in concentration during these long hours have even led to dispensing mistakes, posing risks for both patients and the business. I’m determined to find a sustainable approach that allows me to thrive, not just survive, throughout my workday.
The Plan
For the next 5 days at work I will take a micro break every 30 - 60 minutes alternating between bodyweight squats or breathing exercises.
- Duration: 5 days
- Method: Using a watch as a timer prompt me every 30 minutes or so. Alternate between squats and breathing exercises. Choosing what exercise feels most beneficial at that moment. Recording each session in a daily log.
- Measurement:
- Quantitative: Count the number of bodyweight squat/ breathing sessions performed each day.
- Qualitative: Subjectively note changes in focus, energy levels, and mental clarity throughout the day, and any preference between the two types of breaks.
Observations / Data
Any quantifiable results?
| Day | Bodyweight Squats | Breathing Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Day 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Day 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Day 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Day 5 | 1 | 2 |
Conclusion
The micro breaks appear to help break up long periods of concentration, offering both a physical and mental reset.
There were instances where bodyweight squats felt more beneficial than breathwork and vice versa. The effectiveness seems to vary based on moment-to-moment needs.
Consistency is an issue—remembering to take the breaks can be challenging during a busy workday.
Action items (continue, modify, or scrap?).
Further testing is needed to determine:
- The optimal frequency of breaks.
- Whether one type of break (squats vs. breathing) consistently offers greater benefits.
- How the choice of break might be better tailored to current mental/physical states.
Related thoughts:
Introspective awareness - Nervous System Mastery and Joe Hudson on X
Anu 'Working Theorys' - your dreams demand your best hours