Week 25’s Task of 50 Weeks to a Lighter More Loving You is to take a FIKA!!

Fika is Swedish for Coffee Break!

But it is more than just drinking coffee….

Fika can happen any time of day and is typically observed several times throughout the day, often with something sweet on the side. These breaks are seen as important social events used to help keep up moral and boost group spirit, so companies prioritize coffee and ensure their employees have time to drink it.

Sometimes I think out country has it all wrong….work, work, work…or do, do, do!  Most of the time we are grabbing coffee TO GO!  We can place drink order via the phone and barely say hello as we wiz through the drive thru to pick it up.

There are PERKS to BREAKS!

There are a number of studies to support the idea that taking regular breaks boosts workplace culture and productivity. Breaks can help:

• Keep people focused: A 2011 study in the journal Cognition found that brief diversions from a task can dramatically improve one’s ability to concentrate.
• Relieve stress: A study in Symbolic Reaction found that having coffee breaks with coworkers helped a group of Denmark employees cope after a large-scale merger.
• Boost productivity: MIT studied call center workers at Bank of America. After one month, researchers found that workers who talked more to co-workers got through calls faster and felt less stressed. Bank of America changed coffee breaks to allow for more interactions, and within a few months reported productivity gains of about $15 million a year.
• Recharge your energy: The Energy Project, a New York City-based productivity consulting firm, found that without any downtime, people are less efficient, make more mistakes, and are less engaged in what they’re doing.

This week TAKE A FIKA!   

TAKE A BREAK!

It could be an actual FIKA Coffee Break….with pastry and all!    

Fika Rules:

• Get Comfortable
• Eat Treats
• Never Fika Alone
• Be Social
• Slow Down
• Turn Off Electronic Devices

Maybe you need a break from….

• TV/Phone
• Your daytimer
• Cooking/Cleaning
• Shaving
• Being Perfect
• Not eating pastries
• Having everything done before you Fika
• Doing the 50 Task to a Lighter More Loving You!

Whatever it is, give yourself permission to TAKE A BREAK, to stop DOING, to just BE.

Go Relax, Go be social. Go get comfy. Go drink coffee. Go eat a pastry.

If you ever wondered why it is 50 WEEKS instead of 52 WEEKS to a Lighter More Loving You, it is that I knew you and I would need a break…a FIKA!

I’ll be back in July!

Cheering You on to a Whole Fika Heart,

Barbara