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In the Media

Instant Recess

April 2011

Children look forward to recess breaks in school everyday. Wouldn’t it be great if adults could take a recess break too?

Toni Yancey, MD, MPH, is passionate about recess. Yancey is Professor in the Department of Health Services and Co-Director of the UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity at the School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles. She is also creator of “Instant Recess” – tools that inspire people of all ages to move and be active 10 minutes at a time.

Get your organization moving with these ideas:

Take a 10-minute activity break at a scheduled time everyday at your workplace or any place where people gather for an hour or more. It can be structured activity (like Instant Recess) or just a brisk walk.

For every hour that you sit to perform your job or a task, stand for at least two minutes during that hour. (You burn 33% more calories when standing instead of sitting.)

Make standing ovations, vs. sitting and clapping, the standard way to show appreciation for speakers, etc.

Link networked computers to printers a short walk away from work or study spaces.

Replace some conference and desk chairs with stability balls.

If you are a presenter, in charge of meetings, a classroom teacher, etc. – structure time to include activity/standing breaks.

Instant Recess Videos on YouTube