Take a Break

• Have you visited any of Toronto’s many green roofs, like the one atop TMU’s engineering building or City Hall (external link) ?

• If you prefer to be inside, why not explore the endless indoor walking in the city's underground Path (external link) ? You can access the Path from many entrances, including the Eaton Centre.

• Visit TMU's Recreation and Athletics Centre (the RAC) or the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) for a noon-hour workout.
• During the winter months, go for a quick skate at City Hall’s Nathan Phillips Square (external link)  or our very own Lake Devo (external link) !

• Perhaps you want to enjoy the outdoors but take a break from the TMU campus? Try visiting the Toronto Public Labyrinth at Trinity Square Park (external link) , known to relieve stress and aid in rehabilitation.
• If plant life is more your thing, take a quick walk over to the Allan Gardens Conservatory (external link)  and enjoy botanical gardens in the heart of the city.
• The Eaton Chelsea (external link)  has a wonderful outdoor patio, perfect for enjoying the sunshine.

• Pop over to the The Image Centre (external link) , where you can take in a free exhibit on your lunch hour most days of the week. They even offer free guided tours at 2:30 p.m.
• Want to unwind before heading home after a long day at work? Stop by the Art Gallery of Ontario (external link)  – admission to the collection galleries is free every Wednesday from 6 - 8:30 p.m.

• The Staff/Faculty Lounge in Jorgenson Hall is a great place to meet your colleagues from different areas of the university.
• The Quad remains an oasis of green space at the heart of our campus.
• Yonge Dundas Square (external link)  has many seating areas available to the public - and usually some entertainment as well!

• Try the Nutellacino at the Black Canary Espresso Bar (external link) , located inside the Silver Snail comic store at Yonge and Dundas.
• Why not visit Balzac’s campus location (external link)  for a coffee or tea? It's a great spot to run into friends and colleagues.
• RU Dining is a student-run lunch hosted by TRSM on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon - 1:30 p.m.

Stroll through the Eaton Centre or down Yonge Street. You can knock an errand off your list or window shop with friends. A change of scenery can do a lot to boost your energy when you get back to your desk.

• How about changing focus with a quick game of sudoku or a daily crossword?

• These yoga stretches (external link)  are easy to do at your desk. Take a deep breath and invigorate yourself with a few poses between tasks.

   

The RU Therapy dogs are on campus every Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. during each semester. Check out the @RUTherapydog twitter account (external link)  for up-to-date information on the puppy visiting schedule. 

Take a moment to review this wellbeing checklist from Workplace Strategies for Mental Health (external link) , a website dedicated to promoting mental wellbeing in the workplace. While it's sometimes difficult to take a step back and assess how we're doing on a day-to-day basis, this checklist will help put things into perspective to make sure you're getting the most out of each day.

The Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP) is a confidential and voluntary service that can support you through all kinds of problems and challenges in life. The EFAP provides support over the phone, in-person, online and through a variety of issue-based health and wellness resources.

Check out Sitting all day: Worse for you than you might think (external link) , a story from the National Public Radio (NPR) about the dangers of sitting all day. The good news? Each one-minute break you take from your seat is shown to have a positive impact on your physical health.

Toronto Public Health encourages you to make one small change in your commute to improve overall health in ActiveTO: Rediscover the stairs.

Feeling like your to-do list is only getting longer? Stuck on an idea for a current project? 

Mindfulness meditation can be a great way to reinvigorate yourself. In this video, mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe explains how to refresh your mind each day in just 10 minutes.

These helpful tips (external link)  discuss ways to ensure you create space for breaks to occur, like scheduling them into your calendar and setting yourself up for success by planning breaks you enjoy and that best fit your personality.

Think your back-to-back meetings prevent you from getting some fresh air? Nilofer Merchant challenges you to literally move your meeting in this video called Got a meeting? Take a walk.

Toronto Metropolitan University’s comprehensive ergonomics program offers a number of resources in order to best set up your workspace. From information sheets with stretches you can do at your desk to eLearning modules, these resources are designed to ensure that your workstation enables the most efficient, safe and productive environment.

Visit the Office Ergonomics program for more information.