Best Five-Minute Work Distractions

Procrastinating on that project? Need to "shift gears" between tasks? Most workplace distractions are sheer wastes of time and energy, and deleterious to health; gossiping at the water cooler, checking e-mail every 15 minutes, and smoke breaks pop to mind.

Other activities, though, deliver energy, focus and creativity to effectively tackle the task at hand and enhance health:

1. Play with a Bolo Bouncer -- aka paddle ball, a small rubber ball attached to a wooden or plastic paddle with an elastic string. One of my all-time favorite episodes of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" featured Rob's one-week solo trip to his friend's cabin to write The Great American Novel. He found all sorts of ways to distract himself from achieving his somewhat squishy goal -- including a one-person contest to see how many times he could hit the ball without missing. Since first watching that show 40-some years ago, I've gone through at least a dozen Bolo Bouncers -- and, yes, they've even even helped me write a few decent English papers, headlines, lead paragraphs, etc. My all-time personal best: 600.

2. Do some deep breathing exercises. While sitting, breathe through your nose while your belly expands, hold the breath for at least six full seconds, and then blow it out through your mouth for at least 12 seconds -- i.e., double the in-breath count. Do this exercise at least 10 times. Afterwards, you'll likely feel more relaxed and focused. Oh, and your body's circulatory and lymphatic systems will get a much-needed cleansing, too.

3. Take a brisk walk outside -- and not for a smoke break, either! If you can incorporate a little stair-climbing, all the better; your quadriceps [thigh muscles], gluteus maximus [buttocks], cardiovascular sytem and lungs will love you for it.

4. S-T-R-E-T-C-H to boost your flexibility, circulation and mental acuity. Stand up. First, do some gentle neck rolls 10 times clockwise, then 10 times counter-clockwise. Then, with your arms in front of you, gradually bend forward at the waist as far as possible [ideally, till your fingers reach your toes], hold them there for a 30-second count, return to a standing position, and repeat nine times.

5. Play with your pet. If you're a work-at-home telecommuter or self-employed person with a pet, take a few minutes for a stroll and/or round of hide-and-seek. It'll be good for your body and mind, and Fido or Fluffy will appreciate the bonding time with you.

6. Re-landscape a Zen garden. Remember the villainous Miles Drentell [portrayed by Emmy-winning David Clennon in ABC's "thirtysomething" and "Once and Again"], who had a real knack for royally messing with people's heads? His desktop Zen garden served as a well-placed prop, while he simultaneously raked fine sand around stones -- and raked over the lives of anyone who got in the way of amassing advertising and property-development fortunes on his terms. Use your own space-saving Mini Zen Gardening Kit for a higher purpose: to exercise your inner architect, meditate and relieve stress.

7. Clean up your desk space - Edward ["Ned"] Hallowell, M.D., psychiatrist and co-author of such best-selling ADD/ADHD-focused books as "Driven to Distraction" and "Delivered from Distraction," offered up a fun and practical suggestion to help alleviate workplace stress: "Take a few minutes and take a look at what's on your desk," he advised. "If you possibly can, get rid of projects that are festering, going nowhere, and demanding too much of your time. You can do this by delegating them, cutting them completely, or putting them aside until a specific future date. Then, pledge to keep a space on your desk that is free of papers. Not only will it be useful, but it will feel good and make you feel organized, even when you aren't."

There are countless ways to distract yourself at work. Take a productive approach. By using any or all of the above seven methods, your job performance and health -- physical and/or mental -- will ultimately be enhanced.