Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1093246
MARCH 2019 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 79 that they take healthy breaks every now and then, even if you have to make it a require- ment. One thing that used to help me to get away from the stress of technology was to go for a walk with my dog regularly. The annoying thing about walking a dog is that for some reason known only to dogs, they want to sniff and paw at the same bush that they sniff and paw at every time you walk them. I know that they sniff each other's waste, so I guess that they're simply checking their "pee-mail" (sorry, I just couldn't resist). It used to drive me crazy though when my dog stopped at every bush, but it forced me to slow down and be patient. Eventually, I would even laugh at his efforts and ask him what the heck he was doing. He never answered me, of course, but with forced moments of relaxation like these, I would feel the stress flow out of my body as I slowed down, walked, and saw the world through his eyes (and nose). Sadly, I no longer have him, but I still go for walks, and I try to take some of those same breaks that we used to take together (but I am never going to sniff those bushes, I'll tell you that). My boss is also great at recognizing the need for taking breaks. At the end of our online group meetings, she encourages us all to stand, stretch, and hydrate. She understands how those of us who work at home without the normal distractions that occur in an office are especially prone to being glued to our desks. Many years ago, a different boss at a PCB design service bureau had his own unique way of encouraging us to take a break. He would come through the design bay and call out in his deep baritone voice, "DARTS!" and we would all follow him into the break area for a quick game. In addition to the benefits of taking a break, forcing our eyes to focus in and out as we threw a dart was a great way to relieve us all from the eye strain of older CRT monitors. Seriously, Take a Break Please take my word for it. We all need to slow down, take a break, and get our head out of technology for a few moments. We all need breaks to stay healthy and ensure we're at our best. When you do take a break, you'll then be able to come back refreshed and ready for that next critical challenge that will eventually come your way as sure as rain falls in Oregon. And now, if you will excuse me, it's such a beautiful day that I think I'll go for a walk. DESIGN007 References 1. Selig, M. "How Do Work Breaks Help Your Brain? Five Surprising Answers," Psychology Today, April 18, 2017. Tim Haag is a PCB design consultant based in Portland, Oregon. To read past columns or contact Haag, click here. Henry taking his human for a stroll in the fall of 2017.