Health and Wellbeing

Take a break

If you work more than 6 hours in one stretch you are entitled to a rest break of 20 minutes through the Working Time Regulations.

Rest breaks can include tea breaks, lunch breaks or other short breaks during the day. It’s not just because of the regulations that breaks are important – it’s because they are good for you too.

Taking a break gives you a chance to take a breather, replenish your energy levels by eating or having a drink, physically resting or taking a mental break. As well as being important for your health and safety, taking your break is important to help you.

At NUH we actively encourage staff to take breaks through our Take a Break campaign and we monitor departments to make sure staff are supported to do this.

Your break doesn’t have to be sitting down and having a cuppa – here are some ideas of things you can do as an alternative:

Go for a walk – there are a number of short walks that you can do to get a bit of fresh air and stretch your legs. Some even get you off campus and are not as far as you think. You can even stay indoors if you want – many of our corridors interlink and can give you a different perspective of the hospital. Click here or contact us for a walk map.

Get some fresh air – visit the roof garden at QMC or sit in the garden at the outpatients café at City Hospital.

Attend a NUH active class – the classes are held at different times of the day and not all of them involve getting hot and sweaty. We can even arrange specific classes for you and your colleagues if there are enough of you! Visit the NUH active pages for all the details.
Relax – recharge your batteries with these simple relaxation ideas (pdf).

Treat yourself – try one of the NUH active beauty therapies or a massage therapy. 15 minute sessions are available and can leave you feeling relaxed or energised.

Stretch – cramped up in one position for a long time or hunched over a computer? Your body will thank you for it. Click here for some ideas of simple stretches (Pdf).

Be sociable – depending on where you work you might want to think about all bringing in different items of food and sharing lunch with colleagues, making a pot of tea and all stopping together or meeting up with a friend.

Use your brain – with the advent of all this wonderful new technology it’s much easier to download podcasts, inspiring music or even learn new skills like learning a new language.

Be a culture vulture – read a book (both hospitals have a library which stocks fiction which staff can borrow) or look at some art. The Medical School B floor corridor has a huge display of art, visit the galleries at the Lakeside or Djanogly gallery on the University of Nottingham or try the Crocus Gallery in Church Square Lenton (open Tues-Sat 11am to 4pm).