How do you spend your breaks during your workday? Playing games on your computer? Checking social media on your phone while still at your desk? If so, take note: There are better ways to spend your precious breaks! Check out these handy tips:

1) Get moving.
For optimum productivity, long stretches of concentration need to be followed by short spurts of rest and relaxation. Take at least five minutes to get up from your desk, walk around, and stretch. Looking to get in a quick bout of cardio? Consider walking (or running!) up and down the stairs at work. Any form of exercise, even short walks, will boost your blood flow and thusly, your energy level.

2) Disconnect.
Consider screens of all kinds off-limits during your breaks. If possible, spend your break outdoors, and use the time for quiet reflection.

3) Have a snack.
No, not chips and a soda. Instead, reach for brain-boosting foods such as blueberries or a handful of nuts. A mug of black or green tea can reinvigorate the body with a tiny dose of caffeine.

4) Take a nap.
Catch up on some much-needed shut-eye with a short nap. Limit your snooze to 30 minutes, and don't forget to set an alarm!

You've Been Taking Breaks All Wrong. Here's How To Do It Right [HuffPost]
Take Five: 51 Things to Do When You Need a Break at Work [The Muse]
Five Minutes or Less for Health Weekly Tip: Take a Break [CDC]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/photosteve101

Whether you have kids or you simply love animals yourself, visiting the Louisville Zoo is a must-do in Louisville. This large zoo boasts a spacious layout and a wide selection of exotic animals that make a visit here enjoyable and educational.

Guests can watch as polar bears swim in their icy cold tanks, gorillas make faces through the glass, and tigers eat their lunch under the sunny sky. There is also a fun train that traverses the main exhibits, and the food court area offers a number of different options that the whole family can enjoy. Regular visitors note that the zoo is conveniently organized, and it even offers the option to skip certain exhibits or shorten the walk if you or the kids get too tired.

Louisville Zoo
1100 Trevilian Way
Louisville, KY 40213
(502) 459-2181
www.louisvillezoo.org
www.yelp.com/biz/louisville-zoo-louisville

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Martin Pettitt

You just received a colorful bouquet from a sweet admirer, and you want to make the beautiful flowers last for as long as you can. There are a few tips for caring for fresh-cut flowers that will help you to keep that bouquet looking fresh for as long as possible, and they’re actually surprisingly simple.

1. Place them in water quickly. This one may seem like a no brainer, but every second counts when it comes to preserving the life of your fresh-cut flowers. Be sure to place the flowers in a vase as soon as possible.
2. Cut flowers under water. It is fairly common knowledge that cutting the lower portion of the flower’s stem will help it to absorb water, but many experts agree that cutting the stem while it is submerged will help it even more by ensuring that no air enters.
3. Always use a preservative. If your fresh flowers come with a small sachet of powder preservatives, be sure to add the powder to the water before placing the flowers in the vase. Alkaline-heavy water can reduce the lifespan of flowers, but preservatives help neutralize the water.
4. Store flowers in a cool spot. Although you likely want to keep your flowers on display when you are at home, place them in the refrigerator when you leave the house in order to lengthen their lifespan.

Cut-Flower Care—How to Make Your Fresh-Cut Flowers Last [Brooklyn Botanic Garden]
Keeping cut flowers and flowering plants [University of Minnesota]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/T.Kiya