Many people spend their breaks looking at a screen, which is not much of a change from the work itself. A crossword or another small puzzle offers something different. It is quiet, it has a clear beginning and end, and it asks you to think about something completely unrelated to your job. Best of all, it fits neatly into a short break and needs no preparation beyond a pencil.
Choosing a puzzle
Pick something you enjoy and can finish in a break, or leave and come back to. A newspaper crossword, a word search, a jigsaw on a table in the staff room or a book of riddles are all good choices. Choose paper if you can, so that your eyes get a rest from the screen. Keep the puzzle and a pencil in a drawer or bag, where you can reach it without having to look for it.
Do not worry about finishing. Start with the easy clues, fill in what you know and leave the rest. When the break is over, put the puzzle away and forget it until tomorrow. Half a crossword is perfectly good, and coming back to it gives you a small reason to look forward to the next break. The idea is to enjoy the puzzle, not to win.
Doing it together
A puzzle is often nicer when shared. Leave a crossword on the table in the staff room, and let people add a word when they pass. Someone will always know the answer that has been bothering you all morning. A jigsaw on a side table can grow slowly over a few weeks, with colleagues adding a few pieces each time they make a cup of tea.
If you prefer to be alone, that is fine too. A puzzle can be a polite way of taking a few quiet minutes without having to explain yourself. Colleagues usually understand that someone bent over a crossword would rather not be disturbed. Whether you do it alone or with others, a puzzle turns a short pause into something you can actually enjoy, and that makes the afternoon feel a little lighter.
