Micro Health Breaks will restart again in the fall, dates TBD. Topics include:
Sep. 28, 3:00 p.m.: Compassion Break: Take a 10-minute pause to practice self-compassion and kindness toward yourself. Through a brief guided reflection, participants will learn a simple technique for responding to stress, mistakes, or difficult moments with greater understanding and encouragement. This practice can help reduce stress, build resilience, and promote emotional well-being.
Sep. 30, 3 p.m.: Mindful Movement Break: Refresh your body and mind with gentle, mindful movement. Participants will be guided through simple stretches and movements that promote relaxation, improve circulation, reduce muscle tension, and increase awareness of the present moment. No special equipment or fitness level is required.
October 5, 2 p.m.: Balance Exercises: Take a brief movement break focused on improving balance, stability, and confidence in everyday movement. Participants will practice simple exercises that strengthen supporting muscles, enhance coordination, and promote overall mobility. Suitable for all fitness levels.
October 6, 2:00 p.m.: Chair-Based Posture Reset to Reduce Stress: Spend 10 minutes improving posture and releasing tension caused by prolonged sitting. Through gentle chair-based stretches and posture awareness exercises, participants will learn practical techniques to reduce strain in the neck, shoulders, and back while promoting greater comfort, focus, and energy throughout the workday.
October 13, 3 p.m.: How to Get a Growth Mindset in Ten Minutes: Discover how adopting a growth mindset can help you navigate challenges, build resilience, and support continuous learning. This brief session introduces practical strategies for reframing setbacks, embracing progress, and developing a more positive and adaptable approach to personal and professional growth.
October 15, 3 p.m.: Low Intensity Cardio: Boost your energy with a gentle, low-impact cardio session designed to increase circulation and reduce the effects of prolonged sitting. Participants will engage in simple movements that elevate heart rate, improve mood, and support overall well-being while remaining accessible to all fitness levels.
October 19, 2 p.m.: Body Weight Strength: Build strength and improve function with a quick session using only your body weight. Participants will learn simple exercises designed to strengthen major muscle groups, improve stability, and support overall health. Exercises can be modified to meet individual comfort and ability levels.
October 22, 2 p.m.: Meditation For Relaxation: Step away from the demands of the day and experience the calming effects of meditation. Participants will be guided through a brief relaxation practice designed to reduce stress, quiet the mind, and promote a greater sense of calm and focus that can be carried into the rest of the workday.
October 26, 2 p.m.: Nature Visualization Break: Take a mental escape through a guided nature visualization exercise. Participants will be invited to imagine calming natural environments using their senses to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and restore focus. This brief practice offers a peaceful reset during a busy day.
November 2, 3 p.m.: Eye, Neck and Shoulder Stretch Break: To relieve eye strain, release tension in the neck and shoulders and improve posture. Through gentle stretches, mobility exercise, and relaxation techniques, participants will feel re-energized and ready to return to work with improved focus and comfort.
November 4, 3 p.m.: Five Senses Mindfulness Exercise: Take a pause and reconnect with the present moment through a guided mindfulness exercise that engages all five senses. This grounding practice can help reduce stress, improve focus, and create a sense of calm during a busy day. Participants will learn a simple technique they can use anytime they feel overwhelmed or distracted.
November 10, 3 p.m.: Guided Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Take a 10-minute break to reduce stress and release physical tension through guided progressive muscle relaxation. Participants will be led through a series of gentle muscle contractions and releases, helping to increase body awareness, promote relaxation, and restore a sense of calm. This simple technique can be used throughout the day to manage stress, improve focus, and support overall well-being.
November 12, 3 p.m.: Positive Self-Talk and Resilience Reset: Take a 10-minute break to build resilience and improve your mindset through the power of positive self-talk. Participants will learn practical strategies to recognize unhelpful thought patterns, reframe challenges, and cultivate a more balanced and encouraging inner dialogue. This brief session provides simple tools to reduce stress, boost confidence, and help navigate daily challenges with greater resilience and well-being.
November 17, 3 p.m.: Energizing Walking-In-Place Break: Boost your energy and refresh your mind with a 10-minute walking-in-place break. This simple, low-impact activity is designed to increase circulation, elevate mood, and reduce the effects of prolonged sitting. Participants will move at a comfortable pace while incorporating light movement and stretching to help improve focus, recharge energy levels, and support overall well-being during the workday.
November 19, 3 p.m.: Self-Compassion Practice: Take a 10-minute pause to extend the same kindness and understanding to yourself that you offer to others. Through guided reflection and simple mindfulness techniques, participants will learn how self-compassion can help reduce stress, build resilience, and support emotional well-being. This session provides practical tools for responding to challenges with greater patience, self-awareness, and encouragement.
December 1, 2 p.m.: Mindful Eating Exercise: Take a 10-minute break to slow down and experience eating with greater awareness. Participants will use all their senses to explore the taste, texture, aroma, and appearance of food while practicing mindful attention. This exercise encourages a healthier relationship with food, promotes relaxation, and provides a simple way to bring mindfulness into everyday life.
Please bring a small piece of candy or another bite-sized snack to use during the mindful eating activity. We will use our senses to explore its appearance, aroma, texture, and taste while practicing mindful awareness.
December 3, 3 p.m.: Gratitude Reset: Take a 10-minute pause to focus on what's going well. Participants will engage in a brief guided gratitude practice designed to shift attention toward positive experiences, strengthen resilience, and improve overall well-being. This simple exercise can help reduce stress, boost mood, and foster a greater sense of appreciation during the workday.
December 8, 3 p.m.: Chair Yoga: Take a 10-minute movement break designed to improve flexibility, reduce muscle tension, and promote relaxation. Participants will be guided through simple chair-based yoga stretches and breathing techniques that can help relieve stress, improve posture, and increase mobility. No special clothing or equipment is needed, making this an accessible practice for all fitness levels.
December 10, 3 p.m.: Deep Breathing Exercises: Pause for 10 minutes to learn and practice simple breathing techniques that can calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and improve focus. Participants will be guided through easy breathing exercises that promote relaxation, increase mindfulness, and provide practical tools for managing stress throughout the workday.
December 15, 2 p.m.: Values Reflection Break: Take a 10-minute pause to reconnect with what matters most to you. Through guided reflection, participants will explore their core values and identify one small action they can take to align their daily activities with what is most meaningful. This brief practice can increase motivation, resilience, purpose, and overall well-being while providing a mindful reset during the workday.
INSTRUCTIONS TO ADD MICRO BREAKS SCHEDULE AND LINKS TO OUTLOOK FOR PC AND MAC
Instructions may vary depending on your mail or calendar software. If the tips below do not work, we recommend trying an internet search for "adding an internet calendar to (your device/software here). HR is unable to provide technical support.
PC Outlook:
- Copy link address (don’t click on the link): https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/e19b78d2fbc34df5a4176f3f03fdb1c2@virginia.edu/599b0ed2fe4449e6868183c78bed950717219048676436098549/calendar.ics
- Click on "Add Calendar" at the top of the calendar page (it may be in a different place depending on which Outlook version you are using).
- If you get an error message when adding the link under “Add Calendar,” try clicking on the link, which will download it to your computer. You may be asked to “add new” or “import” the calendar at that point; select “add new.”
- Click on "From Internet" or "Subscribe from Web."
- Paste link; name the calendar.
- Click "OK" or "Import."
- You may need to close and re-open your Outlook program to see the new calendar.
Mac Outlook:
- Go to browser version of Outlook, then switch to Calendar view from the email view (calendar icon in the far left column).
- Look for “Add Calendar” in the left column, then "Subscribe from Web."
- Right click (or Control-click) to copy link address (don’t click on the link): https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/e19b78d2fbc34df5a4176f3f03fdb1c2@virginia.edu/599b0ed2fe4449e6868183c78bed950717219048676436098549/calendar.ics
- Paste link (ensure there is no space within or after the URL when you paste into Calendar)
- Add to My calendars; Name the Calendar
- Click “Import”
- You may need to close and re-open your Outlook program to see the new calendar.
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