Breakthru: Microbreaks for the Modern Workday

03/25/2025

Move towards less pain during the workday with two minutes in motion?

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders represent the most common occupational related disorders in the world. Musculoskeletal conditions impact ~1.71 billion people worldwide

One of the best (and easiest) interventions to help musculoskeletal pain in the work day? Movement microbreaks.

Most of us spend most of our day seated – especially at work. All this sitting does not go unnoticed by our bodies, and actually exacerbates musculoskeletal conditions.

The only way to truly prevent or reduce musculoskeletal pain? To spend less prolonged time sitting.

Breaking up long periods of sitting with something as small as two-minute moments of movement are reliable for both preventing and reducing musculoskeletal pain and discomfort in the flow of the work day.

Hear it from the science: Movement microbreaks throughout the day reduce musculoskeletal pain especially in the neck, wrists, shoulders, and back. And, those taking stretching microbreaks every 30 minutes reported the greatest reduction in musculoskeletal discomfort compared to sedentary breaks.

A small, two-minute intervention with such a positive impact!

Take the first move towards a less painful day, take a moment to move with us, and breakthru musculoskeletal pain in the workday?

03/24/2025

Our bodies have an amazing impact on our minds and moods. They make energy, build confidence, spark joy, and find center. They just need time and space to do so – even (and especially) during the work day.

How do you want to feel today? Choose: Centered, Energized, Joyful, Confident.

Try Breakthru, choose your mood, move, and feel for yourself how two minutes of movement can change your mood?

03/20/2025

Introducing a whole new way to Breakthru: at city scale. We’re so proud to be presented by the Music Center: Move Your Mood and Breathe LA, twice a day, in the heart of LA – from now until June.

We’re so happy to be anywhere and everywhere you take breaks: on your computer, in your meetings, in your offices and conference rooms, and now, in your cities. Let’s Breakthru into the world together?

We always say: There’s a reason that communities dance and that armies march. There’s something so powerful about a city community joining together daily, in a space they love, to share a moment of movement in the flow of their day – whatever their day may bring – and to create something beautiful in real-time.

So, step out of the office, grab a friend, come on down, and move together? You’ll find us here on the Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center, 12 and 6 PM, everyday from now until June. We hope you’ll join us.

03/19/2025

Two minutes is just right: both to boil a cup of tea and to introduce movement into the flow of the work day.

And, just like how a cup of tea grows stronger the longer it steeps, the more moments of motion we introduce into our days, the more of an impact it has – for more energy, more focus, more creativity, more production.

Hear it from Rob: “I’m a tea addict, as a lot of British people are, so it’s just while the kettle’s boiling we’ll dive in on that and it works on my phone so I can take it to the kettle with me.”

Steep more movement into your every day, two minutes at a time. Put on the kettle, grab a cuppa, and move with us?

03/17/2025

Kickoff the week with energy and enthusiasm? Take a moment to move: the movement of your body creates energy for your mind.

Our bodies have a big impact on our minds – on thought, creativity, and cognitive energy and performance.

When you find yourself losing focus and energy, stuck sitting down for a prolonged period of time, and looking for a lift in the day, taking a movement microbreak – two minutes of movement and breathing in the flow of the day – can give you just what you need.

And, the benefits are only amplified when shared with others. Grab a colleague, and take a moment to move together? Give yourself a Breakthru?

03/17/2025

Brain foggy, stuck on an idea, hitting a wall in the work day? Take a moment to move?

We have limited capacities in our brains for sustained attention, memory, and exertion – sitting still burns cognitive energy. But, moving our bodies creates energy.

Break up the flow of the work day and long periods of sitting with small moments of motion, and step back into work with refreshed energy, sharper focus, fresh perspective, and a steady flow of creative thoughts.

How? Through small, two-minute moments of movement and breathing, built into the work day.

And, hear it from the science: Microbreaks throughout the day are linked to superior cognitive performance, enhanced mood, and a notable reduction in fatigue – compared to both uninterrupted sitting and a 30-minute exercise regimen.

Give it a try, feel the impact of a moment of motion on your energy throughout the day? Take a moment to move with us?
https://breakthru.me/blog/movement-for-focus/microbreaks-and-cognition-improves-memory-focus-performance-in-workplace?utm_source=facebook-social&utm_campaign=blog-memory-focus

03/13/2025

03/13/2025

Keep an eye on the skies tonight for a rare lunar event: a total lunar eclipse and blood moon!

This event occurs as the Earth’s shadow travels across the moon. At totality, the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon are perfectly aligned, making the Moon glow red in the sky.

It’s also March’s full moon – often called the Worm Moon, for the time of year where earthworms emerge from the soil in the transition to Spring.

There’s something special about these lunar events: they connect us, both to the greater world around us, and to each other. There’s a powerful feeling created by us all watching the same event, in the same sky, together collectively.

They also inspire the feelings of awe that are so good for us – to feel happier, more grounded, and find center.

Take a break, and join us to watch the glowing red moon tonight?

(Image source: NASA)

03/13/2025

Glued to your desk, feeling stuck, looking for inspiration for a new idea or creative problem solve? Try taking a couple minutes to move?

Do you find yourself losing attention, focus, energy, and creativity after a long time spent sitting? There’s a reason why: It burns cognitive energy to sit still. However, movement creates energy.

This is why it’s important to break up long periods of sitting during the work day and make time for movement – to reset and refocus your mind and make new energy, and to step back into work ready.

Two minutes is just right to reset and refocus in the flow of the work day. Give it a try, give yourself a Breakthru?

03/12/2025

Why move more during the work day? Here’s another reason: to both prevent and reduce musculoskeletal pain throughout the day.

Musculoskeletal pain – the crick in your neck, aching back, and tired wrists you feel during the workday – impact over half of all Americans. And, it’s only compounded by the long periods of sitting and repetitive motions that are so common for desk-based workers.

80% of people spend the majority of their day seated. Breaking up this time spent sitting with time spent moving, for something as small as two-minutes at a time, has a big impact on musculoskeletal health.

Introducing movement microbreaks – two minutes of moving – into the flow of the workday creates space for workers to reduce sitting time, stretch their muscles, reduce musculoskeletal pain – and boost productivity, energy, and mood.

It helps organizations too: by reducing spend ($353 million annually!) on musculoskeletal pain treatments, reducing absenteeism and productivity loss, and creating a better workplace for its employees.

Breakthru musculoskeletal pain in the work day. Take the small, two-minute steps towards a less painful day your body needs and asks for. Your future self will thank you – we promise!
https://breakthru.me/blog/movement-microbreaks-for-musculoskeletal-pain-prevention/how-microbreaks-can-reduce-the-cost-of-musculoskeletal-pain

03/12/2025

One of the best (and easiest) interventions to help musculoskeletal pain in the work day? Movement microbreaks

Most of us spend most of our day sitting down (research shows that people sit an average of 12.3 hours of a 16 hour day!)

All this sitting does not go unnoticed by our bodies: sitting at a desk all day exacerbates musculoskeletal conditions – through the daily, repetitive actions (like typing and sitting for prolonged periods of time) that are so common in so many of our work days.

Breaking up long periods of sitting with small, two-minute moments of movement both prevent and reduce musculoskeletal pain and discomfort in the flow of the work day. A small, two-minute intervention can create so much positive change!

Take the first step towards a less painful day, and take a moment to move with us?